The DPECA Directors have adopted the following position:

    “That contact be initiated with the District of North Saanich and
    the Provincial MLA and Federal MP who represent this area, to obtain
    for public use that property which includes the main access road from
    McTavish Road, including the lower parking lot, and the 50 acres of
    existing hiking trails immediately east of the main access road.”

    In accordance with this position, the Directors have sent the following
    letter with a supporting map (click here) to see the original letter and
    map):

    November 15, 2010


    Mayor Finall and Members of Council
    1620 Mills Road
    North Saanich, B.C.
    V8L 5S9

    Dear Mayor Final and Members of Council:

    Re:  Future Use of the Dunsmuir Lodge Property

    For three decades the residents of Dean Park Estates and North Saanich have
    enjoyed walking the trails in the 18.51 ha eastern portion of the Dunsmuir Lodge
    property.  For the same period of time, residents of Greater Victoria have used the
    lower parking lot of Dunsmuir Lodge to park their cars while hiking the lower trails
    in John Dean Provincial Park.  When owned by the University of Victoria, the
    Dunsmuir Lodge property was considered “public land”, and like any university
    campus funded by tax dollars, it was accessible to the general public.  When the
    Dunsmuir Lodge property is sold, the land will be privately owned and the hiking
    trails and the parking lot will no longer be accessible to the residents of Dean Park
    Estates, North Saanich, or the rest of Greater Victoria.

    It is requested that all levels of government work with the University of Victoria, to
    ensure that the public retains ownership to at least the eastern 18.51 ha of the
    property which contains the hiking trails, the main access road from McTavish
    Road, and the lower parking lot - see the attached map.

    Now is the time to be proactive and initiate discussions with all concerned to
    maintain public ownership to a portion of this significant regional recreational
    resource.


    Mike Woods, President
    Dean Park Estates Community Association


    Copies to:

    Murray Coell, MLA                          Hon Gary Lunn, MP            Grant Hughes, Director
    Saanich North and the Islands           Saanich – Gulf Island             Community Relations
    Suite F, 2412 Beacon Avenue           1 – 9843 2nd Street                University Centre, Rm 228
    Sidney, B.C.                                       Sidney, B.C.                          PO Box 3025, STN CSC
    V8L 1X4                                            V8L 3C7                                Victoria, B.C.
                                                                                                              V8W 3P2
DPECA: Dunsmuir Lodge News
Design Guidelines
Dunsmuir Lodge is closing!  
Many Dean Park Estates
properties are adjacent to
Dunsmuir lands and could be
affected by a change in
status or ownership.  Check
the Map Page.
For a report on the 22 Mar
meeting at Dunsmuir (100+
people!), see the blog by
Councillor Cairine Green and
the blog at North Saanich
Online.
A possible sale of the
Dunsmuir Property is under
discussion.  The Pauquachin
Nation and UVIC have until
May 2011 to negotiate a
sale/purchase.  Here is the
news release that explains the
agreement.
Background
information from
UVIC is now
available on the
Dunsmuir Lodge
sale.  It has been
obtained by the
Municipality of
North Saanich and
will download as a
10-page PDF file.
What Would You Like to See Happen
on the Dunsmuir Lodge Property?

This item was published in the Oct 2010 issue of the DPECA Newsletter (#69).

For three decades the residents of Dean Park Estates have enjoyed
walking the trails in the east end of the Dunsmuir Lodge property. For
the same period of time residents of Greater Victoria have used the
lower parking lot of Dunsmuir Lodge to park their cars while hiking the
lower trails in John Dean Provincial Park.

When owned by the University of Victoria, the Dunsmuir Lodge
property was considered “public land”, and like any university campus,
funded by tax dollars, it was accessible to the general public. When the
Dunsmuir Lodge property is sold, the land will be privately owned and
the hiking trails and the parking lot will no longer be accessible to the
residents of Dean Park Estates, North Saanich, or Greater Victoria.

These concerns were discussed at the Annual General Meeting of
DPECA on March 23, 2010. In response to the concerns of residents,
the Executive Committee proposes that DPECA adopt the following
position:

“That contact be initiated with the District of North Saanich and
the Provincial MLA and Federal MP who represent this area, to obtain
for public use that property which includes the main access road from
McTavish Road, including the lower parking lot, and the 50 acres of
existing hiking trails immediately east of the main access road.”

Your comments are invited through the website comment function
at www.dpeca.ca or by mail to
DPECA, P. O. Box 52021, Sidney, B.C. V8L 5V9.
This letter was
recently sent to
the BC Premier
expressing our
concerns.
This response
was received
from the Premier
Send us your comments and
suggestions on this issue!