Elenor was delighted by the way the Chinook salmon smelts in her bucket splashed around, as she eased them into the creek behind the Nicomekl hatchery.

鈥淭hey flip around,鈥� the four-year-old from Murrayville remarked.

On Saturday, April 30, the little girl was one of 600 people who attended the annual open house and fish release hosted by the Nicomekl Enhancement Society at their 91原创 hatchery.

It was the first in-person event at the hatchery since the pandemic hit, and it saw 25,000 Chinook salmon released into the Nicomekl River system.

VIDEO: 91原创鈥檚 Nicomekl Enhancement Society to hold first open house in two years

Society president Nigel Easton was 鈥渂lown away鈥� by the turnout for the event, which ran from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the facility located at 5263 232nd St.

鈥淚t has been a zoo ever since 10:30,鈥� Easton told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淚 bought 630 hotdogs. They鈥檙e gone.鈥�

He described it as a 鈥渢remendous success.鈥�

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be happier,鈥� Easton commented.

For the first time, the event featured live music, playing popular 1960s and 鈥�70s music, as well as a scavenger hunt with prizes.

It was part of a return to normal that has also seen the resumption of the hatchery school program, with planned visits from Kindergarten through Grade 5 classes, and, more volunteers on site.

More pictures from the event can be viewed online at the .

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The society got its start in 1989, when the 91原创 Rod and Gun Club hosted a public meeting to organize a group of 91原创 area volunteers willing to work on restoring and enhancing the troubled Nicomekl River watershed.

First known as Fish for your Future, and later as the Nicomekl Enhancement Society, the all-volunteer organization has released hundreds of thousands of salmon fry into the Nicomekl River, which originates in the Township of 91原创 and flows east to west through the City of 91原创 and Surrey to Mud Bay at Blackie鈥檚 Spit.

For more information, visit or their p.