Key Accomplishments

Considerable progress has been achieved since the development of the Bowker Creek Blueprint. A few examples are shared below and view more in the Bowker Creek 10 year Achievements:

Oak Bay High School Restoration

The restoration of Bowker Creek through Oak Bay High School lands in 2015, transformed this section of the creek to include a meandering channel with riffles, small islands, a healthier riparian environment, an accessible community greenspace, outdoor classroom and public walkway. This was a successful partnership between School District 61, Oak Bay Secondary School, the District of Oak Bay and the Bowker Creek Initiative.

Daylighting Feasibility Study

The Daylighting Feasibility Study identified opportunities to open the creek channel and release Bowker Creek from underground pipes. It also identified locations for potential stormwater management facilities that can reduce flooding. This work is a critical milestone in the efforts of local governments and community groups to improve the health of the Bowker Creek watershed. Municipalities are now able to integrate creek daylighting options into redevelopment plans.

Demonstration Rain Garden Projects

Rainwater management demonstration sites have been established in several locations throughout the watershed. Rain gardens help protect water quality and reduce flooding in Bowker Creek by slowing and retaining rainfall and filtering pollutants. Look for them on McKenzie Ave in the District of Saanich, at the Monterey Recreation Centre in Oak Bay and at Hillside Centre in Victoria.

Kings Road Community Nature Green Space

In 2019 the District of Saanich purchased the former BC Hydro lands near the Royal Jubilee Hospital to create a new park currently known as the King’s Road Community Nature Green Space. Community fundraising efforts and financial help from other agencies including the City of Victoria and the District of Oak Bay contributed to its purchase. King’s Road Community Nature Green Space is a key property in the Bowker Creek Watershed with open space and opportunities for restoring Bowker Creek to be ecologically robust and resilient for generations to come, improve stormwater management and mitigate flooding.

Community Spotlight
The Friends of Bowker Creek Chum Salmon Recovery Project The Friends of Bowker Creek (FoBC) is a community based group that works to “support the restoration and enhancement of Bowker Creek and its watershed to a healthy state, guided by the vision and goals of the Bowker Creek Blueprint.” The FoBC have been instrumental in organizing educational and stewardship work that make an important on-the-ground difference in the watershed. In 2020, FoBC lunched the Bowker Creek Chum Salmon Recovery Project, a multi-year project with the aim of restoring chum salmon back to the lower reaches of Bowker Creek. Volunteer stream keepers are measuring water and habitat quality, and releasing chum salmon into the creek over the next few years.

Community Spotlight

The Friends of Bowker Creek Chum Salmon Recovery Project

The Friends of Bowker Creek (FoBC) is a community based group that works to “support the restoration and enhancement of Bowker Creek and its watershed to a healthy state, guided by the vision and goals of the Bowker Creek Blueprint.” The FoBC have been instrumental in organizing educational and stewardship work that make an important on-the-ground difference in the watershed. In 2020, FoBC lunched the Bowker Creek Chum Salmon Recovery Project, a multi-year project with the aim of restoring chum salmon back to the lower reaches of Bowker Creek. Volunteer stream keepers are measuring water and habitat quality, and releasing chum salmon into the creek over the next few years.