Dave Rutherford is the publisher of the Stoney Creek Trail Report. 📷 Tyler Olsen/Stoneycreektrail.ca; Dave Rutherford

This story first appeared in the July 25, 2024, edition of the Fraser Valley Current newsletter. Subscribe for free to get Fraser Valley news in your email every weekday morning.

There’s no place quite like Stoney Creek in Abbotsford—or probably the Fraser Valley.

And there’s no one quite like its self-appointed chronicler, Dave Rutherford.

Stoney Creek is a short stream that tumbles down the lower slopes of Sumas Mountain onto the prairie below. It weaves between cedars and maple leaves, its waters providing habitat for fish and other wildlife. Along its shaded flanks runs a rare trail where dogs are allowed to roam uninhibited by leashes. A series of bridges criss-cross the small stream.

Dave Rutherford moved nearby in the mid-1990s, but it wasn’t until five years ago that the retired elementary school teacher began coming to Stoney Creek Park everyday. He liked the massive trees, the quiet spaces and quaint bridges, and the people and the dogs.

He began to see, and care for, the park like it was his backyard. That meant picking up litter. It also meant writing about it. Rutherford had a pre-existing interest in publishing using computers, and what came next was a publication like no other—one that gave a tiny park its own monthly magazine and its own passionate reporter when it needed them most.

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Jan Systad1 year ago

What a lovely article! I will visit Stoney creek next time I want new scenery. Thanks for including it in todays edition.

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Mykal Machon2 years ago

This is a beautiful article and a perfect example of why I think this publication is so important. Thank you for writing this and thank you to Mr. Rutherford for paying such attention and care to something so many of us would take for granted.

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Laurie Hoekstra2 years ago

To have sincere empathy for "outsiders" we must get to know them; it is only then that we "adopt" them as one of our own, and care for them as if they have always been a part of our "community". This lack of knowledge is often cited as the reason behind genocides and the looking-the-other-way that leads to atrocities against groups of people. Mr. Rutherford is seeking to amend our strangeness to nature, so that we might adopt it as our own. That's the first step to seeing the natural environment as not something to be conquered but to be embraced and advocated for. We ARE our environment, for good or bad. I am very glad people such as Mr. Rutherford exist here (and elsewhere) and I hope he understand just how vital his reports are. Living near Stoney Creek or not, we are all beneficiaries of his work. Thank you, FVC, for featuring this man and his work, and thank you, Mr. Rutherford, for all that you do.

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Christopher Hunt2 years ago

That’s an inspiring retirement project in hyper-local but important community activism. The neighbours are lucky to have him doing this work.

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Cathy Anderson 2 years ago

Thank-you so much for amplifying Dave’s monthly newsletter! It is such a valuable source of information about Stoney Creek, and those of use who love the park are so fortunate to be able to learn more about it every month thanks to his work.

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Elinor Hanschke2 years ago

Great article. Now I want to go and find this park and creek.

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