Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
On Monday, the park received up to 100 mm of precipitation in some areas, falling as both snow and rain. The high-elevation areas, such as the Skyline trail, received an estimated snow accumulation of up to 70 cm, while lower elevations experienced lesser amounts. The heavy snowfall resulted in widespread tree damage, making travel conditions on trails challenging and, in some cases, impassable, with Parks Canada having to rescue dozens of people who were left stranded in some areas.
