Sooke Purchases Sooke River Frontage for Park
Sooke, BC – March 26th, 2010
The District of Sooke is pleased to announce the purchase of a 13.8 acre riverfront property which will serve as an important public link in the District’s parks and trails system.
Located on Sooke River Road across from Fred Milne Park, this property has been identified for a future Galloping Goose Trail bike transfer station and parking area, a bird sanctuary, and a nature walkway/boardwalk. Overall, the riverfront park is intended to be a protected site for the sensitive river marshland.
The Sooke River property was purchased for $765,000 using $365,000 from the Park Land Reserve fund and $400,000 from the proposed sale of three residential lots to be subdivided off the former Pineridge Park on Rhodonite Drive. Pineridge Park is a 1.6 acre property that is being subdivided into a 1.15 acre park with new playground equipment and three single family lots for sale to acquire strategic parkland parcels such as the Sooke River property.
“Over the last 10 years, all four District of Sooke Councils have talked about decommissioning and selling certain parks to raise funds for the purchase of key parkland,” Mayor Janet Evans said. “In our Parks and Trails Master Plan, it shows how committed the public and Council are to acquiring important pieces of land in the community for all residents to use.”
The District is currently reviewing its five-year financial plan which includes capital projects such as the development of parks such as Phillips Park, Pineridge Park and the new Sooke River Park. This is in line with the goal of the Parks and Trails Master Plan to develop an outdoor recreation network that grows and evolves alongside the District’s growing population.
For more information, contact:
District of Sooke
Dave Devana, Director of Finance
Tel: 250-642-1634
Fax: 250-642-0541
Email: info@sooke.ca