Friends of Knockan Hill Park SocietyOrganization Mandate
1) To protect, preserve and perpetuate the wilderness character and the natural ecosystem of Knockan Hill Park.
2) To encourage and practice the principles of conservation, and to educate park users on appropriate care of the park
3) To promote expansion of the park when and where the opportunity arises.
Activities of the Friends of Knockan Hill Park Society towards acquisition of 101 High St. as parkland and efforts to protect the entire property from subdivision:
Locations
Knockan Hill Park occupies the summit and south and east slopes of Knockan Hill. The park is located on the west boundary of Saanich adjacent to the Town of View Royal where there are private properties remaining in natural woodland which support and extend the park habitat of particular interest to FKHPS is the property at 101 High Street. The Friends are lobbying View Royal to include it in the town's "system of parks, thereby conserving it as an integral part of Knockan Hill Park for perpetuity. Current Activities and Projects
1) FKHPS provides local stewardship of the park, practices habitat restoration by removing exotic plant invasive species such as Scotch Broom and English Ivy and holly.
2) At present, the society is working with the Town of View Royal on a project to protect the habitat at 101 High Street to enlarge the amount of preserved greenspace on Knockan Hill.
The? Friends constructed a Park Interpretation Board at the entrance to the park, and wrote a Park Information brochure to distribute from the Interpretation Board.
The Friends have hosted numerous Invasive Plant Removal days at? 101 High St, clearing Himalayan blackberry, English ivy and daphne from the new View Royal Knockan Hill Park.
The Friends have hosted annual? Wildflower Walks in the Park.
The Friends organized a restoration day,? June 7, 2003 with the Canadian Army Cadet Corps, and are encouraging community involvement.
Completed Activities and Projects
1) Working each year since 1992, FKHPS members have reduced the Scottish broom in the park to reveal abundant colonies of native plants, especially plentiful on the summit of the hill.
2) An annual goal is to keep the summit clear of broom by "weeding" it of broom seedlings.
3) In the 1990's FKHPS partnered with the Saanich Heritage Foundation the Saanich Archival and Heritage Committee to lobby the municipality of Saanich for the conservation of Stranton Lodge Heritage Site, which is part of a large property added to Knockan Hill Park in 1973.
1992 The Friends of Knockan Hill Park Society identified the property at 101 High St. as being integral to the wilderness character of Knockan Hill Park and requested the Town of View Royal to consider it for designation as future parkland.
Nov.1993 View Royal Council indicated after one of the Friends presentations, ?the subject property would make a logical and beneficial extension of the Park.?
1993-1998 Numerous contacts with Town of View Royal promoting future acquisition.
March 1998 The Friends recommended to the Environment Committee that 101 High St. be designated as ESA (Environmentally Sensitive Area).
July 1999 The Friends wrote to The Land Conservancy of B.C., the Nature Conservancy and Habitat Acquisition Trust requesting partnerships in trying to acquire 101 High St as parkland.
August 20, 2000 Upon the death of Mrs. Jane Morrison, life tenant of the property, 101 High Street reverted to the Ontario Humane Society.
Sept 2000 The Friends invited View Royal Councillors, The Land Conservancy and Habitat Acquisition Trust representatives to view 101 High St. The Friends contacted Ontario Humane Society to request right of first refusal for View Royal.
February 2001 The Friends consulted closely with the Town of View Royal, meeting both with Council and the Finance Committee. The Friends provided Council with background information on 101 High St., and arranged for a building inspection of the house. The Friends liasoned with The Land Conservancy, which resulted in View Royal establishing a working relationship with TLC.
May 28, 2001 With The Land Conservancy acting as the negotiator, steps began to purchase 101 High St.
June 2001 The Friends contacted Habitat Acquisition Trust, and established a tax-deductible fund for donations.
August 2001 View Royal acquired the property at 101 High St for parkland for $450,000.
Aug 2001 Special resolution at an in-camera meeting of View Royal Council decided that the Friends would have 3 years to find funds totalling $200,000 to replenish the Park Acquision Fund. If this money were not in place the View Royal would consider selling 1or 2 city lots from the property.
Fundraising Initiatives
1) FKHPS has lobbied the Town of View Royal to acquire 2.4 acres (approximately one hectare) of natural greenspace adjacent to Knockan Hill Park. This privately owned property has recently become available for purchase. It comprises a rocky bluff of largely terrestrial herbacious vegetation (identified by the Ministry of Environment's Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory). It supports low form Garry Oaks with associated flora and fauna. The surrounding woodland features Douglas fir, Broadleaved maple, arbutus mix. Habitat Acquisition Trust is accepting donations from the general public and the Town of View Royal has committed funds from its Parks Acquisition Fund.
2) FKHPS has twice applied for funds from the Greenways Initiative of the Provincial Capital Commission (the most recent application in partnership with the Friends of Mount Douglas Park Society) for clearance of English Ivy from the park(s). FKHPS observes that habitat in the lower slopes of the park is compromised by widespread invasion of ivy and wishes to study the effects of removal of ivy in test areas to assess recovery of native species.
2002 Habitat? Acquisition Trust posted the 101 High St. on their website as one of their primary projects.
The Friends held a fund raising draw for a painting? by Tannis Warburton of ?The Satin Flowers?.
The Friends applied for a? Provincial Capital Commission Greenways Grant to help with restoratation work in the park, and to the TD Environment Fund and Ganing Commission for funds towards the replenishment of the View Royal Park Acquisition Fund.
The Friends? held a giant Garage Sale, Silent Auction, Plant Sale, with proceeds going toward the replenishment of the Park Acquision Fund.
The Friends met with Ours? Forever Staff of The Land Conservancy and drafted a plan of action for the two groups to work together.
Partners
Saanich Heritage Foundation
Saanich Heritage and Archival Committee
Habitat Acquisition Trust
The Land Conservancy of BC
Publications
Brochure: features description of wildflowers, trees in the park, a map of park area and location, historic information regarding the name, status and recent heritage site, message for park visitors and contact information for the society. Volunteers Required
1) To assist with removal of invasive plant species (no experience needed)
2) To assist with promotional and fundraising pursuits for the acquisition of 101 High Street (some experience of fundraising and event organization would be an asset)
3) To assist with the restoration and maintenance of the Heritage Garden at Stranton Lodge
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81 High Street
Victoria, BC V8Z 5C8 Phone: 250-479-1947
Fax: 250-727-7713
Email: btetlow@telus.net
Main Contact
Andrea Tetlow
Secretary
Phone: 250-479-1947
Email: btetlow@telus.net
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