My second visit to Rockglen took place in the Library. A group of us met Wednesday morning and made Origami Boats in preparation for our ‘Lighted Launch,’ which will take place on Wednesday September 24th.
Like before, I gave a demonstration on how to make an Origami boat and played a short video that reinforced this teaching.
Then, we broke off into smaller groups and went through the process step-by-step.
All and all, we made about fifty boats that day and I hope to return one more time before the launch.
Later that night, a couple of Rockglen residents took me to Fife Lake (about a ten minute drive out of town), where the ‘Lighted Launch’ will take place.
It’s a beautiful lake.
The two residents, Richard and Darcy, (who are in their early sixties) explained to me how when they were young this Lake/Regional Park was the place to be. The campground was always full. Locals came for the weekend. There were swimming lessons, ball tournaments, a rodeo, etc. Then in the late 80s the lake began to dry up and by the year 2000 it was nothing more than a small puddle.
In the last two years, however, the lake has been completely restored. The night I was there, people were kayaking and boating. Kids were skipping stones. People were camping. And others were playing ball in the nearby diamonds, practicing for the ball tournament that was about to take place that weekend.
Listening to people talk about the lake I really got a sense of how relieved they are that “it came back.”
I was told that it’s the ebb and flow of nature, the cycle of water, that makes it so that a lake can completely disappear and then reappear. Plus, I was told it’s our human ‘footprint’ that disrupts nature “like that.” Many blamed a local coal mine for the water disappearing.
Either way, all seem happy to see the return of their lake. And rightly so. From a Cultural perspective this lake is of utmost importance. Look at all the activity that is dependant this lake. Even at it’s rudimentary level, even if a person does not participate in any activity at all, it is a gathering place. People who live in the same community, but do not necessarily visit, gather here and share.
Keeping this in mind, I find it wildly appropriate that we are having a ceremony that will celebrate this lake–a celebration that will further bring people together. I can’t wait.
