Residents who took on the task of sprucing up a well-used Ocean Park walkway celebrated the one-year anniversary of their effort last month by adding to their efforts.

Carol Savage said a dozen people from the neighbourhood around Church House Lane – at the end of 15A Avenue at 131 Street – turned out to add “a few more native friendly plants and five more yards of dirt” to the walk-through.

The enhancement project was spearheaded by Savage as a way to preserve some of the area’s greenspace and character – something she felt was being eaten away by development.

“We lose the space, we lose the trees and we also lose the charm,” she told Peace Arch News at the time. “We needed to try and reconnect with our neighbours, to start looking out for each other.”

With help from a City of Surrey grant (grants of up to $3,000 are available for small projects that improve the physical appearance of a neighbourhood; visit surrey.ca/community), dirt was added, shrubs and bulbs were planted and a rock garden was created.

Now, the space includes several gardens and a homemade stepping stone with ‘Church House Lane’ imprinted on it. It’s hoped something depicting the church house that the lane was named for – and which was demolished earlier this year – and its history can also be added.

“We are so proud of this little piece of heaven,” Savage told PAN by email last month.

Savage said more than 35 volunteers give their time, tools and supplies to maintain the public greenspace.

Anyone interested in receiving updates or wanting to get involved may contact Savage at carol_savage@telus.net