New RDN park to open soon
Nanoose Bay’s Moorecroft lands have now been transferred over to the Regional District of Nanaimo and will become a regional park for the public to enjoy, but not quite yet.
Tom Osborne, general manager of recreation and parks services with the RDN, said staff are currently on site, inspecting the buildings and will make an announcement on the park’s opening to the public shortly.
“Basically we’re trying to make sure the property is safe for people to walk through,” he said.
Osborne said some of the buildings on the site are in poor condition and will need to be removed, while others will be made safe.
RDN children camps and outdoor programs will be able to visit the site this spring and summer, Osborne said, but whether the area will be used for overnight stays will be decided later this year when a management plan is created and has gone through the public review process.
“Come this spring and this fall we look forward to engaging the public on the use of this ciritcal Regional Park that is now in the area,” he said.
In the meantime the park will be designated a day-use park and will be open year-round to the public.
The RDN purchased the property from the B.C. Conference of the United Church of Canada for 4.8 million with a conservation covenant to protect over 90 per cent of the land base. The Nature Trust of BC is currently running a campaign to contribute up to $500,000 to help with the acquisition and upgrade work that needs to be done.
To contribute to the campaign visit their website www.naturetrust.bc.ca and click on Moorecroft Camp under call to action.
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