Nanoose Bay residents wanting to take a stroll around the grounds of Moorecroft Regional Park are going to have to wait a while to access much of it.
That's because the park — a former church camp — is currently a demolition site as the Regional District of Nanaimo began pulling down old cabins and other unsafe structures.
The work will be completed by the end of April. The park will remain open while work is ongoing, but specific areas of the park will be closed for safety purposes. The main trail from the parking lot to the boat house will be closed and visitors will be directed to use other trails.
"The RDN Board of Directors is committed to making Moorecroft as safe as possible for the public," said Electoral Area E Director George Holme. "We understand that it may be difficult for long-time visitors to Moorecroft to see these familiar buildings removed. At the same time, we must do our due diligence and remove unsafe structures. We appreciate the patience of park users as we complete this work."
The RDN purchased the Moorecroft Regional Park property from the B.C. Conference of the United Church of Canada on March 2, 2011, at a cost of $4.8 million. As a condition of sale, a conservation covenant was developed with the Nature Conservancy of Canada to ensure the protection of the Nanoose Bay property's natural habitat and ecosystems.
In 2011, the RDN conducted a risk management survey report on all of the property buildings. The report showed that most of the buildings are in poor condition and in most instances do not meet public safety and risk management requirements. Removals are also necessary due to the prohibitive costs to bring the buildings up to safety standards. Some buildings, including Kennedy Hall, will remain on site.
— NEWS Staff/RDN