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The Polar Bear Ice Festival is back.

You can skate outside under the moon, stars and possibly gently falling snow on the Polar Bear Ice Terrace. With each admission dollar spent, you will receive the equivalent value in Polar Bear Bucks, which may be redeemed at any Bear Mountain restaurant until January 31.

The Polar Bear Ice Terrace is open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm, weather and ice conditions permitting. General Admission: $10.00 / Children 4 and under free.
Family Pass: $25.00 - valid for up to 5 family members. Limited quantities of skate Rentals are available at $3.00/pair.

On weekends you can Skate with Santa or visit the Polar Bear Ice Den. You can also take a not so chilly Polar Bear Swim in our heated outdoor saltwater pool. Admission is $15.00. Watch for Santa to make a poolside visit.

Other activities include a Breakfast With Santa, Polar Bear Putting (New this year), Cocktails and Caroling as well as special celebrations for New Years Eve and New Years Day.

Please visit the website below for detailed information about the Polar Bear Ice Festival.

Bear Mountain Resort is thrilled to again be partnering with Santas Anonymous so that partial proceeds from various Polar Bear Events will be going towards Santas Anonymous.

Come view our display of beautifully decorated trees between December 1 and 15 and "adopt" a Santas Anonymous Bear. Register your adoption at the Front Desk, then return your unwrapped gift to the Front Desk anytime before 4:00pm on the 15.

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Goldstream eagles arrive in record numbers
By Amy Dove - Goldstream News Gazette - November 30, 2007

Hordes of eagles have taken over Goldstream River.

Between 25 and 50 raptors have been spotted feasting on the decaying salmon that litter the river bank.

The number is higher than usual for this time of year, said Adam Taylor, a naturalist at Goldstream Nature House. Usually the birds are only just coming to the waterside in November, with around 10 being spotted the first week. This year 25 eagles were reported during the same week.

Winter storms last year forever altered the river’s dynamic, Taylor explained. A once narrow back channel of the river has widened, increasing the number of fish passing though. Even better for the eagles, the area is not accessible to people — leaving them in quiet seclusion to eat.

“We think they just have a larger area where they are able (to eat),” he said of the increased numbers. And while the eagle population is rising, they should pose no threat to the salmon still fighting their way upstream.

“They almost never kill live salmon. You have to remember these fish are literally as big or bigger than the eagles,” Taylor said.

Combine the size of the fish with a mouth full of teeth, and trying to eat a live salmon can become dangerous for the bird, he explained. Plus, there is no shortage of fresh dead fish lying around to eat.

The birds usually hover around Goldstream until the end of December, beginning of January, Taylor said. The change in the river means many of the birds are not visible to the public, however, there is still a healthy presence in front of the nature house, Taylor said, noting as he spoke four eagles were dueling with a seagull outside. The best time to see them is at low tide when the fish carcasses are not submerged in water.

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com

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THE END OF THE GOLDSTREAM Salmon Run is a signal to the Bald Eagles that it is time to return to Goldstream for their annual salmon feast. Record numbers of Bald Eagles have been returning to the park - up to 276 in one day - for the past three winters. By closing the estuary to people, the birds can feed undisturbed while visitors are able to see them up close with the use of a video camera and telescopes. This protective measure has proven extremely effective.

Each winter, from early December until the end of February, Goldstream Provincial Park’s Visitor Centre celebrates the return of the Bald Eagles with special programs and exhibits focusing on birds of prey. Keeping the visitor centre open at this time of year is due entirely to public support from donations at the door!

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The 2nd Most Important Day In Your Life

We host two bridal events annually in Victoria, and both are held at the Victoria Conference Centre. Choose the event that suits your timeline and join us for a fun-filled wedding planning day!

In one day, in one beautiful venue, you can meet with over sixty local wedding professionals. They’ll share with you, information about the latest trends in weddings plus the services they’ll be happy to provide to help you and your future husband plan your special day. You are about to make some big decisions – we can help you to make them less stressful!

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Special events for 2008 include Sips ’n’ Cinema - a wine tasting and film night;  movies for families and special presentation events. This 10-day fête includes nightly film screenings, parties, a gala opening, filmmaker discussions – all in the heart of the temperate west coast, while the rest of the country is still under snow. In 1995, the CineVic Society of Independent Filmmakers, along with Origins Theatre, began what was then called the Victoria Independent Film & Video Festival.

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Audition Dates:

February 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 2009
In English with English surtitles

Meet the It Girl of 1744. A woman with aspirations above her station, the alluring Semele is intent on marrying the god Jupiter and becoming immortal. Things come to a bad end when Jupiter’s wife Juno, who sets the gold standard for the conduct of jealous spouses, makes elaborate plans to get rid of Semele.