Western Forest Products Lands Transferred to Capital Regional District Parks
By Capital Regional District
VICTORIA - The Capital Regional District (CRD) is pleased to announce that land acquired for parkland from Western Forest Products will transfer to the CRD in August. The land comprises 250 hectares adjacent to Sooke Potholes Regional Park and is valued at $1.3 million. A final land transfer of 60.5 hectares in Jordan River valued at $4.5 million will transfer to the CRD following environmental remediation work, which is expected to be completed by December 2012.
"These landswill help to furtherthe CRD's goals of conservation, biodiversity and providingoutstanding outdoor recreation in our parks," said Geoff Young, CRD Board Chair.
In March 2010, the CRD and Western Forest Products announced the agreement to transfer 2,350 hectares of park and watershed lands for $18.8 million to be paid in three year instalments. The Regional Parks portion of approximately 1500 hectares is valued at $15.6 million. The majority of payment is through the CRD Regional Parks Land Acquisition Fund. The provincial government provided $2 million, The Land Conservancy of BC $250,000 and private donors contributed $265,000 toward the parklands' purchase.
The CRD took over management of watershed lands and parkland adjacent to Sooke Potholes and Sandcut Beach in the first transfer in 2010. A second parcel of land adjacent to Sandcut Beach was transferred in August 2011. The 2012 land transfers will conclude the agreement for sale and three-year payment plan between the CRD and Western Forest Products.
