“The Parks Are Part of Our Family”: Lynn Ledgerwood Protects Four Generations of Memories in BC Parks

For Lynn Ledgerwood of Squamish, BC Parks are a part of her family.

Here’s her grandson, Jesse, on Parks Day in 2011. He’s the one in the Jerry the Moose costume. “It was a sweltering day,” he recalls. “But it was so cool to be able to say I did it.”

When you're dressed as Jerry the Moose, you become a sort of hero and friend to countless BC park lovers. You embody some of their favourite memories—family adventures, awe-inspiring moments, and the simple joys of connecting with nature.

During a few summers as a park crew member at Porteau Cove and Stawamus Chief before becoming a full-time teacher, Jesse gained a unique perspective on BC Parks. He experienced the fun and adventure of families camping and enjoying the parks, while also getting a behind-the-scenes look at how the entire system operates from a broader perspective.

“He’d always talk about how much effort goes into maintaining the parks,” Lynn recalls. “And how much funding is required. We had an inside look into how many communities are working together to keep it going.”

In 2023, Lynn heard about BC Parks Foundation for the first time. “Up until that point, I didn’t realize there was a way to give to BC Parks!” she says. She immediately signed up to be a monthly donor.

“Have you looked at Squamish on a map?” asks Lynn. “We’re in the middle of a whole nest of BC Parks, surrounded by them, each accessible within a half hour drive.”

“It was an easy decision to become a monthly donor,” she says. “The parks have given so much to us. We need to give back, too.”

Lynn’s connection to BC Parks reaches further back into her family’s history.

In the 1990s, a branch of her family regularly served as Park Hosts at Porteau Cove and Alice Lake Parks.

Their mother, a post-polio quadriplegic who used an iron lung at night, embraced the park’s beauty and found ways to enjoy it by using a specially fitted trailer for overnight camping.

She says their time there brought many good things—the joy of spending time in nature together, lifelong memories that they recall with fondness, and the health and well-being benefits that come with being outdoors.

Today, at 87, Lynn says most of her time in nature happens in her garden, but there is one activity in Porteau Cove Park that she enjoys.

Situated in Howe Sound, which has been making a remarkable ecological comeback in recent years, Porteau Cove features beautiful views and a waterfront where an old ship has been sunk to attract marine life and provide interest for scuba divers.

“I like to drive to the parking area and just listen to the sea lions bark and honk as they sun themselves on the dock. You can hear them all over the park.”

While visiting, Lynn thinks back on the generations of memories that she and her family have had, and the many ways parks have enriched their lives. She also thinks about what parks mean to all the other species who live in them.

“Being a part of these protected places, where wildlife can enjoy their natural environment, is a gift I don’t want to take for granted. It’s one that we all should be able to enjoy forever.”

As Lynn discovered, supporting BC Parks Foundation is a way to ensure the parks and protected places we love are preserved for future generations. You can join her in making an impact. Together, we can keep BC Parks thriving for families across the province.