parks and recreation update

New parks and park improvements

• Southpoint
• Ernhill
• Echo Valley
• Gateway
• Chidlow
• Kettle

Jordie Lunn Bike Park

• Wrapping up a very successful first summer season at the park
• Advertising sales have started with more opportunities to be available in 2022
• The park will host its first cyclocross race on September 8 th and staff have submitted a bid to host the 2022 Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships Qualifier

Return of events at Starlight Stadium

• Staff have been busy working with various stakeholders and partners to prepare the stadium for the return of events
• The Pacific FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps game on August 26 th saw a sold out crowd with almost 5,000 spectators
• Last weekend the stadium hosted the two-day music festival “All Ways Home”
• Future events include Brewery and the Beast on September 12 th

Ed Nixon trail boardwalk replacement

• Decayed pilings have been removed from closed portion of Ed Nixon trail boardwalk at the south end of Langford Lake between Leigh Place and YMCA
• While the removal and construction of the boardwalk is limited to the window of June 15 to September 15 to protect the fish habitat, the Province has given the City an extension to the end of October so the new floating structure can be installed
• This section of the Ed Nixon Trail is anticipated to re-open to the public in the Fall

Volunteer program

• Staff working with consultant to formalize a parks volunteer program with a focus on the removal of invasive species
• Volunteers in the Happy Valley neighbourhood have helped pull most of the broom at Willing Park, as have the Bear Mountain Community Association along Bear Mountain Pkwy
• Volunteers at the Jordie Lunn Bike Park continue to assist with ongoing maintenance to the trails, pathways and ecological restoration
• Recruitment to begin in the fall

Basketball court murals

• Partnered with Friends of Victoria Basketball Society to participate in the Outside the Lines: Court Mural Project
• Two basketball courts had murals installed – A.T. Gordon Park and Veterans Memorial Park
• Costs covered by organization and City will maintain the murals for a minimum of two years

Photo Credit: Friends of Victoria Basketball Society

Westhills gravity park

• Trail building contractors temporarily paused work over the summer due to the high fire hazard rating but will resume once cooler temperatures return
• Contract has been to awarded to Nature Trails Society for improvements to be made to the trails accessing the Glen Lake Crag

Miscellaneous projects

• Meeting with the WestShore Developers Association this week for the final review of the proposed Parks DCC program before it is reviewed by the province and brought to Council
• Assisting residents: hot summer has led to many concerns especially involving stressed trees
• Installed two new memorial benches at Centennial and Glen Lake parks
• Landscape sightline project on Langford Pkwy

Thank you!