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Following a community-led fundraising effort throughout 2022, the Capital Regional District (CRD) has acquired a 75-acre parcel of land on the northeastern slopes of Mt. Maxwell to develop a community park on Salt Spring Island. The acquisition effort involved local Indigenous community members, naturalists, recreational users, and other islanders.
The property was offered to the community for a reduced price of $850,000 thanks to a generous donation by the family that owns the property. An additional $250,000 donation was received and the CRD contributed $250,000 towards the purchase price through the Salt Spring Island Park Land Acquisition Fund. The remaining $350,000 of the purchase price was funded through community fundraising and a $100,000 grant received from the Salt Spring Island Foundation.
The vision driving the community park acquisition was to develop a dedicated space for non-motorized recreational use, including hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and disc golf, accessible by Seymour Heights Rd. and Wright Rd. Now that the acquisition is complete, the CRD is developing a preliminary management plan to guide all future activity within the park, including multi-use trail planning, with the long-term intention to maintain ongoing Indigenous and community engagement.
In addition to First Nations engagement, the CRD has reached out to surrounding neighbours, organizations and community groups that were involved in the acquisition and has been engaging with the local community. Staff are working on a 'What We Heard' Summary Report, capturing the key themes and feedback gathered during engagement activities to date. This report will be an important foundation for the preliminary management plan and ensures transparency in how public and Indigenous input is shaping the future of Mount Maxwell Community Park. The summary and a project update will be presented to the Local Community Commission in the coming months.
Following a community-led fundraising effort throughout 2022, the Capital Regional District (CRD) has acquired a 75-acre parcel of land on the northeastern slopes of Mt. Maxwell to develop a community park on Salt Spring Island. The acquisition effort involved local Indigenous community members, naturalists, recreational users, and other islanders.
The property was offered to the community for a reduced price of $850,000 thanks to a generous donation by the family that owns the property. An additional $250,000 donation was received and the CRD contributed $250,000 towards the purchase price through the Salt Spring Island Park Land Acquisition Fund. The remaining $350,000 of the purchase price was funded through community fundraising and a $100,000 grant received from the Salt Spring Island Foundation.
The vision driving the community park acquisition was to develop a dedicated space for non-motorized recreational use, including hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and disc golf, accessible by Seymour Heights Rd. and Wright Rd. Now that the acquisition is complete, the CRD is developing a preliminary management plan to guide all future activity within the park, including multi-use trail planning, with the long-term intention to maintain ongoing Indigenous and community engagement.
In addition to First Nations engagement, the CRD has reached out to surrounding neighbours, organizations and community groups that were involved in the acquisition and has been engaging with the local community. Staff are working on a 'What We Heard' Summary Report, capturing the key themes and feedback gathered during engagement activities to date. This report will be an important foundation for the preliminary management plan and ensures transparency in how public and Indigenous input is shaping the future of Mount Maxwell Community Park. The summary and a project update will be presented to the Local Community Commission in the coming months.
