During the COVID-19 pandemic, we're still able to hike and bike, but sometimes it can get a little redundant.
That may not be the case at Rose Valley Regional Park - if you haven’t walked the trails lately you may be missing these magical additions to the walk. A resident has taken it upon themselves to install fairy doors throughout the trails.
But what are fairy doors?
They’re typically seen in Europe, but are popping up across the globe. The doors are perceived as magic portals between our world and the realm where fairies reside and are usually found at the base of a tree trunk.
At Rose Valley, there are a couple that even floating a little higher - including one with a long red staircase to the top where a stuffed teddy bear currently lives.
There’s one with a beach house theme and a seashell on the deck. There’s even a ‘mansion’ with six doors into one trunk, which was a highlight for many children on the trail Sunday afternoon.
Some artists install doors that can be opened with a small space carved out where people can leave notes, wishes, or gifts for the fairies.
Parents tend to use fairy doors to help children's imaginations and prompt creative thinking, describing the fairies as creatures that use their magical powers to protect children from bad dreams and even grant wishes if they are well-behaved.
The fairy contractor was on scene, but tells Castanet they have a non-disclosure with the fairies union so they couldn’t talk on camera.
The contractor started to place the doors on Apr. 18 and as of Sunday there are 18 structures in the park and with only a few materials remaining there will be only a few more to be added.
The Kelowna resident says they had a lot of time on their hands and it was just something for them to do - but most of all, they like how the children are reacting to the small gesture. They say to keep the offerings to the fairies small, to not cause clutter around the houses and ensure they are there to stay.
