The Capital Regional District is hiking up the amount of protected parkland in the region.
The CRD announced Aug. 23 that it has acquired a 10-hectare parcel of undeveloped land that will be added to East Sooke Regional Park.
The land, bordered on two sides by East Sooke Regional Park, runs along East Sooke Road next to the East Sooke Volunteer Fire Department.
According to a CRD media release, the parcel is one of the few remaining large undeveloped tracts of land available for addition to the park.
ALSO READ: CRD buys land to expand East Sooke park
B次元官网网址淭his land acquisition in East Sooke Regional Park is welcome news and increases the amount of valuable and protected parkland in our region,B次元官网网址� said CRD board chair Colin Plant. B次元官网网址淭he CRD is committed to making progress on climate action and environmental targets and through land acquisitions like these weB次元官网网址檙e working towards protecting biodiversity and furthering the protection of ecological assets.B次元官网网址�
The parcel of land met the CRDB次元官网网址檚 acquisition criteria and was recommended for purchase in a January 2023 land update. It had a market value of $1.09 million and was purchased by the CRD for $950,000 in July after the owners, the Broadbent family, donated $140,000 of the landB次元官网网址檚 value, the release noted.
B次元官网网址淭his property was part of the original Glenairly homestead and was purchased by our great grandparents, Alex and Nellie (nee Todd) Gillespie in 1910,B次元官网网址� the Broadbent family said. B次元官网网址淢any Gillespie descendants have been fortunate to explore and play there, and we are delighted that it will now be preserved and shared for others to enjoy. We thank the CRD for making it possible.B次元官网网址�
The addition brings the park to a total of just under 1,485 hectares, making East Sooke Regional Park the third-largest park in the CRD regional parks system, after Sea to Sea Regional Park and Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park.
The area provides habitat for bears, cougars, wolves and many smaller organisms, and also contains several old-growth Douglas fir trees estimated to be more than 250 years old.
The new property will be left in its natural state to buffer the parkB次元官网网址檚 existing boundaries, and to protect biodiversity and wildlife habitat.
Visit crd.bc.ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-trails/find-park-trail/east-sooke for more information.
