The District of Saanich has announced the finalization of a land acquisition that will result in a new park for residents to enjoy.
The lot is located on the corner of Church Avenue and Ophir Street, just between Shelbourne Street and Cedar Hill Road.
Currently, the double-wide lot is half vacant, following a single-family home tear down, with another single-family home still on the property.
The District says that the future park on this lot is a long-term goal for the community.
“Acquiring this property for future green space for people to enjoy is a huge win,” said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock.
He added that improving access to the parks and public spaces that bring people all together is one of the district’s priorities.
“That’s what a livable, complete community is all about.”
The District says that the aim of this acquisition is for it to tie in to the future Bowker Creek Greenway. This would provide the opportunity to have a park space along a future active transportation route for the community.
Currently, the other closest park is the Gore Peace Memorial Park, just two blocks away on the intersection of Shelbourne Street and Church Avenue.
According to the District, acquiring this new property will allow for the development of a link between the two sites, as part of an active transportation network.
The community surrounding the newly acquired lot is composed of several higher-density apartment buildings with a significant number of seniors.
The District added that this community is also expected to grow in the years to come, which will increase the need for green spaces.
Though the lot has been acquired and plans have been laid for a park to be established, the District noted that the plan will take around a decade to come to fruition, meaning the park likely won’t be complete until 2036 at the earliest.
In the interim, Saanich staff are exploring what to do with the property in the short-term, which includes the option of renting out the home on the property at market value.
The property was bought using funds from the District’s Development Cost Charge (DCC) program. It did not require any borrowing and will cause no impact on property taxation.
