parks

Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes and Katie Blake, executive director of the Habitat Acquisition Trust, are calling on the community to help raise $1 million by April 22 to purchase the Mountain Road Forest and create a new regional park. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Saanich mayor, Habitat Acquisition Trust call on residents to help raise $1M for new regional park by Earth Day

100-day deadline set to secure CRD’s $3.4-million urban forest purchase

Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes and Katie Blake, executive director of the Habitat Acquisition Trust, are calling on the community to help raise $1 million by April 22 to purchase the Mountain Road Forest and create a new regional park. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)
Former park warden George Mercer has turned to writing fiction since his retirement and move to Vancouver Island. Photograph by Lia Crowe

Into The Wild With Writer George Mercer

A passion for parks sets the backdrop for novel series

  • Jan 6, 2021
Former park warden George Mercer has turned to writing fiction since his retirement and move to Vancouver Island. Photograph by Lia Crowe
Saanich police are investigating a report of a sexual assault that occurred on Dec. 29 at Glanford Park. (Black Press Media file photo)

Saanich police investigating sexual assault in Glanford Park

A 19-year-old woman was attacked Dec. 29

Saanich police are investigating a report of a sexual assault that occurred on Dec. 29 at Glanford Park. (Black Press Media file photo)
Victoria police were busy New Year’s Eve breaking up gatherings, attending to an assault and issuing a man three fines for failing to comply with COVID-19 measures. (Black Press Media file photo)

Parties, an assault and a belligerent man: Victoria police kept busy New Year’s Eve

VicPD responded to 102 calls for service Dec. 31

Victoria police were busy New Year’s Eve breaking up gatherings, attending to an assault and issuing a man three fines for failing to comply with COVID-19 measures. (Black Press Media file photo)
The City of Victoria is closing Central Park for ‘remediation’ on Jan. 4. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria closing Central Park for remediation following campers, wet weather

Park will be closed Jan. 4 until further notice

The City of Victoria is closing Central Park for ‘remediation’ on Jan. 4. (Black Press Media file photo)
A 12.1 hectare parcel of land (shown in orange) has been purchased for $760,000 by the Capital Regional District as an addition to Mount Work Regional Park. (Map courtesy CRD)

Mount Work Regional Park grows by 12 hectares in Highlands

Capital Regional District purchases land held by family for 61 years

  • Dec 29, 2020
A 12.1 hectare parcel of land (shown in orange) has been purchased for $760,000 by the Capital Regional District as an addition to Mount Work Regional Park. (Map courtesy CRD)
In 2021, Saanich will resume management of the building in Braefoot Park which housed the Braefoot Community Association for many years. (Google Streetview)

UPDATED: Community group stunned as Saanich takes over Braefoot building

Braefoot Community Association to transition to new location, sports programs to continue in park

In 2021, Saanich will resume management of the building in Braefoot Park which housed the Braefoot Community Association for many years. (Google Streetview)
The Capital Regional District and Island Health has advised against swimming in or drinking water from both Elk and Beaver Lakes after toxic blue-green algae blooms were reported. (Black Press Media file photo)

CRD expands blue-green algae alert to include Elk Lake

Blue-green algae can cause health complications in humans, pets

The Capital Regional District and Island Health has advised against swimming in or drinking water from both Elk and Beaver Lakes after toxic blue-green algae blooms were reported. (Black Press Media file photo)
Large logs that once bordered Mount Douglas Park were recently chopped up and removed from the park – despite bylaws banning the actions – leaving behind a trail of sawdust. (Photo courtesy Darrell Wick)

Wood snatchers illegally chop, smuggle logs out of Saanich park

Parks bylaw prohibits removing wood, using chainsaws in parks

Large logs that once bordered Mount Douglas Park were recently chopped up and removed from the park – despite bylaws banning the actions – leaving behind a trail of sawdust. (Photo courtesy Darrell Wick)
The Capital Regional District and the Habitat Acquisition Fund have agreed to partner on the purchase of the $3.4-million Mountain View Forest in Saanich to establish a new regional park. (Photo courtesy the Habitat Acquisition Trust)

CRD, Habitat Acquisition Trust to spend $3.4M on 20-hectare forest park in Saanich

Mountain Road Forest property to be conserved as regional park

The Capital Regional District and the Habitat Acquisition Fund have agreed to partner on the purchase of the $3.4-million Mountain View Forest in Saanich to establish a new regional park. (Photo courtesy the Habitat Acquisition Trust)
Parking fees at Thetis Lake Park will be going up at some point, but not without further discussion. Capital Regional District directors asked CRD staff to come back with alternatives, after hearing a proposal that would increase the $2.25 per day rate to $7 for 2021. (Google Maps)

Greater Victoria politicians ditch plan for $7 daily parking at Thetis Lake

Capital Regional District directors fear backlash from parks users

Parking fees at Thetis Lake Park will be going up at some point, but not without further discussion. Capital Regional District directors asked CRD staff to come back with alternatives, after hearing a proposal that would increase the $2.25 per day rate to $7 for 2021. (Google Maps)
The City of Victoria announced the official opening of Agamemnon and Eleni Kasapi Park in the South Jubilee neighbourhood on Nov. 18. (Courtesy of Jeremy Loveday)

Purchase of South Jubilee park funds new UVic scholarships

Victoria residents have a new park and UVic has two new scholarships

The City of Victoria announced the official opening of Agamemnon and Eleni Kasapi Park in the South Jubilee neighbourhood on Nov. 18. (Courtesy of Jeremy Loveday)
The Friends of Mount Douglas Park Society is reminding park-users that damaging plants or removing mushrooms or anything else from the park is against Saanich bylaws. (Photo courtesy Darrell Wick)

Mushroom pickers disregard bylaws for Mount Douglas Park

Park-users cannot damage plants, remove things from greenspace, advocate says

The Friends of Mount Douglas Park Society is reminding park-users that damaging plants or removing mushrooms or anything else from the park is against Saanich bylaws. (Photo courtesy Darrell Wick)
Every year, piles of abandoned jack-o-lanterns appear in Mount Douglas Park after Halloween and advocates are urging residents to be responsible when displaying their pumpkin art. (Photo courtesy Darrell Wick)

The great Saanich pumpkin dump: Advocates advise against abandoning carved gourds in park

Removal of rotten pumpkins costs up to $800 annually, district says

Every year, piles of abandoned jack-o-lanterns appear in Mount Douglas Park after Halloween and advocates are urging residents to be responsible when displaying their pumpkin art. (Photo courtesy Darrell Wick)
A sneaky otter made its way into the salmon containment area in the Saanich fish fence during the fall salmon count. (Photo courtesy Dorothy Chambers)

Otters foil annual salmon count at Saanich fish fence

Seasonal tally ends early with 176 coho passing up Colquitz River to spawn

A sneaky otter made its way into the salmon containment area in the Saanich fish fence during the fall salmon count. (Photo courtesy Dorothy Chambers)
The Victoria Police Department arrested a man Nov. 3 after receiving reports that he had set a fire inside a Beacon Hill Park tent. (Black Press Media file photo)

VicPD arrests man who set fire in Beacon Hill tent

The man had previously been prohibited from entering Victoria parks

The Victoria Police Department arrested a man Nov. 3 after receiving reports that he had set a fire inside a Beacon Hill Park tent. (Black Press Media file photo)
The Capital Regional District is considering adding another dollar a year to the parkland acquisition fund fee for homeowners. (Black Press Media file photo)

One dollar or two? Greater Victoria parks acquisition fee hike spurs debate

$2 a year too steep, CRD committee recommends $1 a year increase per household

The Capital Regional District is considering adding another dollar a year to the parkland acquisition fund fee for homeowners. (Black Press Media file photo)
Sooke mayor Maja Tait brought a pair of scissors to commemorate the official opening of the 6.5-km Stickleback Urban Trail on Thursday, Oct. 15. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

New urban trail connects Sooke residents to Galloping Goose

Stickleback Urban Trail stretches 6.5 km from Clarkson Park

Sooke mayor Maja Tait brought a pair of scissors to commemorate the official opening of the 6.5-km Stickleback Urban Trail on Thursday, Oct. 15. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Dotted line shows the border of property in the Cedar Hill neighbourhood donated to the District of Saanich from the estate of the late Brian Patriquin, whose residence at 1360 Queensbury St. has been the family home for three generations. (Photo courtesy District of Saanich)

Wetland property next to Saanich home donated for parkland through will

Brian Patriquin gained a love of nature and the environment spending time at Cedar Hill property

Dotted line shows the border of property in the Cedar Hill neighbourhood donated to the District of Saanich from the estate of the late Brian Patriquin, whose residence at 1360 Queensbury St. has been the family home for three generations. (Photo courtesy District of Saanich)
Saanich council voted in favour of an exploratory report looking at options for adding socializing shelters to local parks. (Black Press Media file photo)

Saanich explores options for adding shelters to parks

Covered areas would encourage safe outdoor socializing during rainy season

Saanich council voted in favour of an exploratory report looking at options for adding socializing shelters to local parks. (Black Press Media file photo)