Lansdowne School Land
The proposed disposal of this land alongside an open reach of Bowker Creek at Lansdowne South Middle School was withdrawn in 2023, allowing the property to remain in public hands with School District 61.
The Friends of Bowker Creek Society (FOBCS) is grateful the Victoria Hospice Society withdrew their bid to purchase the property. School District 61 Board (SD61), expressed their willingness to save this property for educational and community values. The open creek channel can provide access for riparian restoration and outdoor education. The Friends of Bowker Creek offer a vision of a restored wetland and drypond field that can hold floodwater during rainstorm events to help mitigate flooding. The vision includes a wetland pond, meandering creek, habitat for biodiversity, a forest path, outdoor education access for students at Lansdowne South Middle School and the neighbouring communities. It would also be a step to providing a greenway link from Oak Bay to the existing Regional Trails system.
Background
In 2021, SD61 proposed to sell a 1.9 acre portion of the Lansdowne South Middle School property to Victoria Hospice Society (VHS). The School Board vote to sell the land was postponed from December 2021 to January 2022 – largely due to public emails and presentations to the SD61, asking to preserve public ownership and to be sure the community vision for Bowker Creek is maintained. Subsequent advocacy by FOBCS, Camosun Community Association and the Victoria Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils to SD61, VHS and the Ministry of Education resulted in the VHS bid to purchase the land being withdrawn and the land retained for educational, environmental and community purposes.
Bowker Creek, also known as “Thaywun” – “coho salmon stream” by the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, runs for 180 metres through the property. The field is enjoyed as an open greenspace and local playfield. This reach of Bowker Creek is identified for restoration in the Bowker Creek Blueprint: A 100-Year Action Plan to restore the Bowker Creek Watershed, endorsed by School District 61 in 2018. It is vitally important that community members be included in future discussions and decisions about this important property along Bowker Creek.
In addition to the Nov 24 letter to School Trustees, the Friends of Bowker Creek Society and Camosun Community Association made presentations at the November 22 and December 13 SD61 Board meetings in 2021 and 2022. The Bowker Creek Initiative (BCI) also made a detailed presentation to SD61 and Victoria Hospice Society representatives on December 8, 2021. We were pleased SD61 hosted this meeting at the request of the BCI. Other organizations. The Friends of Bowker Creek and the Camosun Community Association hosted the “Lie-Down for Lansdowne protest event in March 2022 to gather community support and speak up about the land disposal process. Many people sent emails to the School Board Trustees asking that this property be saved. As a result of collective community efforts, the School Board announced the Victoria Hospice Society withdrew the offer to purchase the land on Oct. 27th, 2023.
Links in the media:
Richmond Road school property ‘not the right location’ for hospice, society says – Times Colonist, Nov. 10th, 2023
Victoria Hospice bowing out of controversial land purchase – CBC News, Nov. 10th, 2023
Parents’ group, citing environment, opposes plan to sell former Richmond school land to hospice society – Times Colonist, Dec. 19th, 2021