Three people who made a difference were recognized on Arbour Day with a memorial tree planting ceremony at Hudson Bay Park at 88 Avenue and Glover Road in Fort Langley.
Brenda Alberts, Nadia Cooper, and Donna Passmore recently passed away but left lasting legacies in the community.
The ceremony was part of the Community Arbour Day festivities at Hudson Bay Park Sunday afternoon.
Brenda Alberts, wife of former Township mayor Kurt Alberts, passed away last sumer after a short battle with cancer.
She had owned and operated the Birthplace of B.C. Gallery in Fort Langley for a number of years, and was known in the community as a champion for local artists and supporter of many local charitable events.
“Brenda is looking down and smiling,” her husband said.
The commemoration of long-time resident Nadia Cooper was attended by several generations of her family, who posed proudly with the tree.
“I look forward to coming down here and seeing it grow,” said son Harold Cooper.
Donna Passmore was a well-known environmental activist with the Farmland Defense League and the Fraser Valley Conservation Coalition who spoke out on issues ranging from the South Fraser Perimeter Road and protection of the Serpentine Fen in South Surrey, to the destruction of wildlife habitat in Stokes Pit and the need to maintain an off-leash area in Blackie Spit.
Family spokesman Harold Steves, a Richmond councillor, said the recognition ceremony was especially appropriate for Passmore because she was an ardent campaigner for tree planting.
“She (Passmore) grew up in this community,” Steves said.
“Her family is very pleased.”
Earlier in the day, the Wilson Memorial Tree was formally replaced in Fort Langley.
One of many bigleaf maples planted at local intersections to honour the 36 Langley soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty, it was named after A.W. Wilson, who was killed at Vimy Ridge in France in 1917.
Earlier this year, the tree at 96 Avenue and Glover Road — the last of the three bigleaf memorial maples remaining in Fort Langley – succumbed to disease and had to be reduced in size.
