A contest/fundraiser hybrid that’s being promoted by the Outlook & District Regional Park will hopefully accomplish two things at once; provide some eye-catching little homes for local birds and benefit the park’s summer programming line-up.
It’s a birdhouse-designing contest, with the end goal being to help raise money from their sales that will be held through a silent auction later this summer.
Those registered as either a business or as individuals will be tasked with building, fabricating or constructing a birdhouse, and entrants are being asked to be as creative as possible.
The submitted entries will be displayed on a float during Outlook’s Canada Day parade on July 1, and a silent auction will be held during the festivities that day to sell each birdhouse. A prize will be awarded to the business and individual (two categories) whose birdhouse raises the most money, and the funds will benefit the park’s summer programming line-up that had its first year last summer.
Cara Drury of the Regional Park says the birdhouse competition was just one of several ideas that she and a friend had thought of to help benefit the park and what they intend to offer this summer.
“The birdhouse competition is a fairly new idea,” said Cara.  “A friend (Krystal Belley) and I have been brainstorming different activities and fundraising events for the park over winter.  A few of the other ideas included a sandcastle competition, an evening meal hosted on the red bridge lit up with twinkle lights and an astronomy night in the park.  The park is a great setting that has a lot of possibilities for events.”
The park’s summer programming line-up that debuted last year included events such as presentations on bees and honey production, as well as other live animals such as burrowing owls and bats. The events were all fairly well-attended and it seemed as though people were very happy to see something that was both family-oriented and unique being offered in Outlook during the busy summer months when there is so much downtime.
As for what’s being planned in the park this year, Drury says some favourite events will return, as well as mixing in some new ones.
“As for activities planned to take place this summer, I have just started booking a few presentations,” she said.  “This year I am planning on having all the events take place on Saturday afternoons.  Some events will be the same as last year and some will be new.  We are planning on building bird feeders again, as well we have booked the same bat ecology presentation that came to the park last summer.  New presentations include a talk on vultures and shoreline birds, and a presentation on salamanders and endangered species.”
Cara says that she was happy with how the programming offered last year went over with the public, and it’s something that helps her and the park continue to plan events that will help to draw more people to the location and see what Outlook has to offer.
“I really feel that last summer’s park program was very well received and enjoyed,” said Cara.  “All of the events were well attended by both campers and families from town.  I also received very positive feedback this fall and winter from event attendees.  It’s great to be able offer free, family friendly, outdoor activities in the park. It’s a service we are happy to provide to both campers and the Town.”
For more information on the birdhouse contest/fundraiser or to register as either an individual or business, email [email protected].
The maximum size allowed for all entries is 30” x 30” x 30”, and the deadline to have birdhouses submitted is June 24.
