Parks & Trails Master Plan: Implementation

The latest updates to the Development Costs Charges (DCCs)provide a new funding source for several parks projects.

Since February 2021, the District has undertaken a review of DCCs. DCCs are fees collected from land developers, on a user-pay basis, to help fund the cost of the new infrastructure and parks needed to service new development. DCCs help ensure developers pay their fair share of the costs required to develop new infrastructure and park improvements. With the adoption of an updated bylaw, DCC Bylaw No. 755, 2021, park projects eligible for funding through DCCs include:

• Town Centre Park Acquisition;
• Whiffin Spit Master Plan;
• New Town Centre Park Master Plan;
• New Trail Access at Seabroom Road;
• Demamiel Creek/Little River Crossing; and
• Various trailhead improvements.

Learn more about DCC's >>

The community sport box, located at 2430 Phillips Road, will open this Sunday, June 26th and a grand opening celebration will kick things off. The festivities will include:

• 4:15 p.m. – Blessing from T’Sou-ke Elder, remarks and ribbon cutting with special guests;
• 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Free hot dogs and cupcakes;
• 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Draw Prizes;
• 4:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Games and activities with SEAPARC Recreation Program Leaders;
• 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – (mini) lacrosse game featuring Juan de Fuca Whalers U13 Players; and
• 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – (mini) ball hockey game featuring U9 Sooke Minor Hockey Association Players.

Those attending are encouraged to walk, bike and carpool to the event. Accessible parking and forty parking stalls are available in the temporary parking lot, accessed by the marked laneway off Phillips Road.

The facility will be operated by SEAPARC. Please contact SEAPARC for rental and program information:

• Tel: 250.642.8000
• Website: seaparc.ca

This project was made possible thanks to our funding partners:

• Province of British Columbia $892,778 Canada Infrastructure Community, Culture and Recreation Program Grant; and
• $400,00 contribution from the District of Sooke Amenity Reserve Fund, established with a contribution from Sunriver Estates.

After several weather delays, the floor for the community multi-use sports box in Sunriver has been poured!

Crews will soon start installing the rink boards as they work towards a May 2022 soft opening with a grand opening event in June 2022.

Staff have been working with School District 62, stakeholders, and a consulting team to produce a 50% design drawing of the DeMamiel Creek (Little River) Pedestrian Crossing (DCPC) and are continuing to seek alternative funding sources to move this project forward.

In October 2021, the district submitted grant applications for up to 60% of project funds through two streams of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program Grant (Rural and Northern Communities Program; Community, Culture and Recreation Program). The District has not received notice regarding these applications and understands the significance of this project for the community. As such, the District has submitted an application through the Government of Canada's Active Transportation Fund.

The updated expected total cost of this project will be $2.179 million of which, if successful, grants will cover approximately 60% of the costs. This project will build 400 meters of new trail, 40 meters of boardwalk, and a 40-metre bridge over DeMamiel Creek. The grant will also provide grade improvements to 180 m of the existing trail and a signalized crosswalk on Sunriver Way.

Funding the remaining portion of the project will come fund municipal funding sources such as the Carbon Tax, Community Building Fund and could include property taxes. These details will be brought forward during the 2023 budget process.

Today, the Stickleback Dog Park, located at 2276 Church Road on the Stickleback Urban Trail, opened and quickly welcomed its first visitors!

A dog park in Sooke has been a long-talked-about amenity and desired by many in the community, so to have the soft opening here is an exciting community milestone. "As soon as I unlocked the gate, we had people and pets smiling, prancing and quickly community members meeting for the first time," shares Jessica Boquist, Parks and Environmental Services Coordinator. "This warms my heart to see the joy visitors are experiencing already."

Current amenities of the fenced dog park include a water standpipe (a pet and person fountain will be installed next week), surfacing, benches, a dog bag dispenser and a garbage receptacle. A gazebo will be installed this summer, with a grand opening celebration to take place at that time.

The park is open from 7:00 a.m. to dusk. Vehicle parking is available on Church Road with recent roadside improvements made to support access to the park.

After weather delays, several milestones will take place this week and next to allow for a soft opening of the Stickleback Dog Park, located at 2276 Church Road, later this month.

Surfacing, waterline installation and preliminary parking enhancements on Church Road will take place starting tomorrow and continue until Friday (March 11, 2022).

Next week (March 14-17, 2022), the installation of the pet and person water fountain, dog bag dispenser, garbage bin, benches and signage will take place.

Provided there are no further weather delays, the public can anticipate a soft opening of the park on Friday, March 18, 2022.

Future milestones for the park include:

• additional trees being planted in partnership with a local school during Earth Week (April 18th-23rd) and;
• a gazebo being installed in the fall.

A grand opening event will be planned for a later date.

Construction is set to resume on the community multi-use sports box at 2430 Phillips Road the week of March 14th after weather and impacts from the pandemic caused several delays.

It is currently anticipated that a soft opening will occur in May and a grand opening event will take place in June. The facility will be operated by SEAPARC.

Upcoming project milestones:

• Week of March 14, 2022 – Form and concrete pouring (weather permitting) - The concrete pour scheduled for the week of March 14 (weather permitting) must be completed in one continual process from concrete pouring to levelling with a motorized trowell unit. Crews will mobilize by 8:00 a.m. and proceed with this work, which may take up to 16 hours. Many thanks to park neighbours for their patience and understanding while this milestone is met.
• Week of March 14, 2022 – Form and concrete pouring (weather permitting) - An additional trail (with waterline underneath) will be installed connecting Cedarview Place to the site. Distribution to neighbours during construction should be minimal. This work will begin mid-March and take approximately 1-month to complete
• April 2022 – Rink Board Installation - The crew will mobilize for rink board installation after the concrete has cured sufficiently. The boards and fencing will be installed over one week. There should be minimal disruption to neighbours during this phase.
• Fall 2022 - Tree planting

The sports box will be operated by SEAPARC. Please contact 250.642.8000 with questions about facility operations.

The District is receiving $353,449 from the Province’s Community Economic Recovery Program Grant to enhance the Sooke Potholes.

The project will include constructing two accessible toilets, widening staircase access to the beach, installing wayfinding signage and visitor information kiosk, and parking improvements. Construction will begin this fall with anticipated completion by May-long weekend 2023.

Sooke is known for its access to the natural environment and the Potholes are a signature natural landmark and popular destination for locals and visitors alike. The lower lot, District property, provides access to a freshwater beach and trail system which also connects to the Sooke Potholes Regional Park, maintained by the Capital Regional District.

Atop the Potholes, the Spring Salmon Place (KWL-UCHUN) Campground is operated by the T’Sou-ke First Nation. It operates seasonally each summer, from mid-May to mid-September.

Alongside the Sooke River and Potholes, is the Galloping Goose Trail – providing exceptional wilderness scenery and easy biking terrain along a former rail line.

The Sooke Potholes Enhancement project is one of more than 50 new tourism projects throughout B.C. that are receiving a total of $21.3 million for shovel-ready infrastructure projects from the province’s Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program’s (CERIP) Destination Development funding stream.

Learn more

• Province of BC News Release: More investments made in B.C.’s tourism infrastructure
• Province of BC Backgrounder of approved funding projects
• Sooke Potholes Regional Park, Captial Regional District Website

After experiencing supply chain delays, construction of the Stickleback Dog Park will begin on Tuesday, December 14th. Fencing will be installed this week. CRD Water has connected the water-line for the pet and person water foundation that will be installed in the new year. Additional amenities also set for installation in the new year include surfacing, gazebo, signage, the garbage bin and dog bag dispenser, and parking on Church Road.

It is anticipated an opening event for the park will take place in the late winter/early spring. Please stay tuned!

Construction of the Bluffs Staircase is complete!

At the June 28, 2021 Council meeting, Council reallocated funds from the Solid Waste Strategy Business Plan to repair the treads and railing using the staff tradesperson carpenter. It is anticipated this work has given the stairs an additional 10-15 years life expectancy.

Many thanks to our parks crew, led by Steve, Tradesperson/Carpenter, for their efforts in completing this project (once resources were identified) on time and on budget.