Hi again, everyone! Welcome back to another update on our journey with the Ruckle Park social media project. If you’ve been following along, you know that we’ve been working hard to raise awareness about this hidden gem in British Columbia, and I’m excited to share the progress we’ve made so far. I’ll walk you through where we are with the project, the successes we’ve celebrated, and the challenges we’ve faced. Let’s dive in!
1. Where are we with our action?
We’ve come a long way since launching the Instagram page for Ruckle Park. The team has been fully involved in creating engaging content and learning how best to represent the park’s rich history. Our goal is not just to post photos, but to bring history to life — showing people that Ruckle Park is more than just a scenic getaway; it’s a place full of stories and culture.
So far, we’ve curated several posts highlighting significant historical landmarks within the park, alongside fun facts about the flora and fauna that visitors might encounter. I’ve also coordinated with local historical societies to ensure we’re sharing accurate, respectful information. The Instagram page is growing, and our content is getting noticed by local visitors, environmental advocates, and even a few historical enthusiasts!
For example, we recently posted a beautiful photo of the historic Ruckle homestead, paired with a brief history of its construction and the people who lived there. The post not only received great feedback but also sparked conversations in the comment section about the park’s role in local history. These interactions are exactly what we were hoping for—creating connections between the park and the people who care about it.
2. Successes We’ve Had So Far
We’ve seen some really positive feedback, and the most rewarding success has been how much people have engaged with our posts. One standout moment was when we shared a photo of the park’s iconic viewpoint, accompanied by a story of how it was once used as a lookout point for settlers. The post was shared by several local tourism groups, and we even had some visitors stop by the park and tag our Instagram page in their photos. That was huge for us because it showed that our digital presence was translating into real-world engagement!
Additionally, our collaboration with Brenda, the environmental education expert, has been invaluable. She helped ensure that all of our content was historically accurate and sensitive to the Indigenous history of the area, which has been crucial in making sure our efforts align with the park’s values.
Lastly, the consistent growth in followers has been encouraging. We’ve gained a decent following within our first month, and we’re seeing people not only liking our posts but actively commenting, sharing, and even asking questions about the park. It feels like we’re on the right path to creating a lasting impact.
3. Challenges Faced (and How We’ve Overcome Them)
Even though we’ve had some successes, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. One issue we encountered early on was a lack of clear, visual content for some of the historical posts. When you’re trying to bring history to life through Instagram, having the right images is key, but there’s only so much historical photography available for public use.
To overcome this, we’ve worked closely with the local historical society to dig through their archives for old photographs and artifacts that we can share. We’ve also tapped into the park’s natural beauty and created a mix of visually stunning posts that align with the history we’re sharing. While it wasn’t an immediate solution, this collaboration has helped build a stronger relationship with local history keepers, and it’s been worth the effort.
Another challenge we’ve faced is creating content that resonates with a younger audience. Many of our followers are older locals who are already familiar with the park, but the younger demographic hasn’t been as engaged as we hoped. To tackle this, we’ve started experimenting with different types of content — like “Throwback Thursdays” where we share old photos alongside modern-day images or historical trivia in the form of polls and quizzes. This has led to some increased engagement from a younger crowd, but it’s still a work in progress.
Finally, a few of our followers expressed frustration when our content didn’t immediately explain the full context of certain historical events. They wanted more in-depth stories about the people and places involved. This feedback has been invaluable, and moving forward, we’re planning to do more research and storytelling that dives deeper into the history of the park. It’s a reminder that we need to balance engaging content with educational value.
4. What’s Next?
Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue our momentum. Our next step is to expand our social media outreach to include more interactive and dynamic content. We’re planning to host a “virtual tour” of Ruckle Park through Instagram Stories, giving followers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the park’s most hidden gems. We also plan to partner with local schools and community groups to host an educational Instagram live session, where we’ll share more in-depth knowledge about the park’s history and the people who have shaped it.
One key project we’re excited about is collaborating with the Indigenous community near Ruckle Park to share their stories and contributions to the area’s history. This has been an ongoing conversation, and we’re looking forward to working together on content that highlights their rich cultural history.
Lastly, we’re planning to make our Instagram page even more sustainable. We hope to build a volunteer team from the local community to help maintain and create new content. This way, the project will continue growing even after our initial push.
Reference for Overcoming Challenges:
I came across an article by The National Trust for Historic Preservation, where they discuss how museums and historical sites have utilized social media to engage younger audiences (https://savingplaces.org). One of their strategies included integrating user-generated content, like photos from visitors, to create a more interactive experience. We plan to use a similar approach by encouraging followers to share their own stories and memories of Ruckle Park.
As always, thank you for following along with our project! we’re excited to continue sharing the beauty and history of Ruckle Park with all of you. Stay tuned for more updates!
– Dara Casillas
