Victoria, BC The Capital Regional District, the regional government for the 13 municipalities in the southern tip …
Victoria, BC The Capital Regional District, the regional government for the 13 municipalities in the southern tip of Vancouver Island, is buying more than 9,700 hectares of land from TimberWest Forest. The purchase is expected to help protect the future of the regions drinking water supply and to add to the regions park system.
The agreement involves two separate parcels of land. The land for the water supply is located west of the existing Sooke water supply lands. At 8,791 hectares, the Leech River watershed nearly doubles the CRDs supply area. The second parcel, 932 hectares for new regional park land, is located east of the Sooke Potholes Regional Park and is being purchased with support from the Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC).
This is one of the largest, most important land acquisitions in recent BC history, said Nils Jensen, chair of the CRD regional water supply commission. The addition of the Leech River watershed, which can be connected to the CRDs water supply reservoirs, is a prudent strategic acquisition that secures and protects our future water source. While the Sooke Reservoir is expected to meet regional water needs for at least the next 15 years, we have taken action that provides a legacy for the future.
TimberWest says it is pleased to have participated in the undertaking. The new park land is a significant addition to the 7,400 hectares already dedicated to the Sea-to-Sea Green Blue Belt, Southern Vancouver Islands ecological highway of protected, park wilderness connecting Sooke Basin to Saanich Inlet, said John Ranns, vice chair of CRD parks committee. Helping secure this land is a source of great pride for all of us involved with TLC and builds on our past financial contributions to the purchase of Sooke Potholes and land in the Sooke Hills for regional parks.
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