Council Tuesday will debate whether Saanich will help pay for the replacement of a popular nature walk.

Coun. Fred Haynes and Coun. Dean Murdock last week tabled a notice of motion that asks staff to B次元官网网址渄evelop options for CouncilB次元官网网址檚 consideration to provide funding toward the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary boardwalk replacement.B次元官网网址�

needs about $800,000 to help replace the floating walkway that currently runs across the lake at a length of more than 300 metres. Made out of cedar boards, it opened in 1991 and ranks among the most popular tourist destinations in the region as the sanctuary draws some 65,000 visitors annually and serves as an ecological educational centre for students across the Greater Victoria region.

The society has so far raised $350,000 towards through its B次元官网网址楤次元官网网址� campaign to replace the current cedar boards with fibreglass sheets said to be longer-lasting and eco-friendlier.

Kathleen Burton, executive director of Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Society, said in an earlier interview that the bridge will help improve the experience of visiting the sanctuary.

B次元官网网址淭hat is a way for us to tell our story more,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t is a way for people to get out in the middle of lake, where they wouldnB次元官网网址檛 normally be able to be and get a different view and often see a lot of different things that they wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be able to see. But it is also for educational programming.B次元官网网址�

The new boardwalk will actually be above water, thereby serving as a wildlife corridor for muskrat, otter, waterfowl and other creatures. It will also feature so-called B次元官网网址榯eaching podsB次元官网网址� where visitors can learn more about Swan Lake and its unique ecosystem.

The More than a decade earlier, the District of Saanich had started to acquire land around Swan Lake and Christmas Hill with the aim of B次元官网网址渞etaining the area in its natural state, for the use and enjoyment of the public.B次元官网网址�