To: The Oceanside Environmental Community
Re: French Creek Estuary Lands Report on The French Creek Estuary Lands
The fate of the estuary lands at French Creek has been of prime concern for the Friends of French Creek Conservation Society since its inception in 2004. The following report was first compiled in September 2018 to give information of our progress in preserving this important and sensitive property. Like many land conservation projects, it is long slow work.
Most of the undeveloped land near the estuary is owned by French Creek Estates Ltd., with small sections of parkland owned by the Regional District of Nanaimo. Recently, less than half of the 23 acres, located between Hwy 19A, Columbia Drive, Viking Way and French Creek, has been contracted to be sold to a development company. The more sensitive area adjacent to the estuary is still owned by French Creek Estates Ltd. and is presently being proposed by them as a protected estuary park. The FFCCS Estuary Lands Committee is acting as the facilitator for this exciting prospect.
History
In 2006 the Nature Trust of BC, on behalf of FFCCS, held unsuccessful negotiations with French Creek Estates Ltd. owner, the late John Moore. Mr. Moore passed away in 2015, and during the summer of 2016 the 23 acres were put on the market with an asking price of $6.9M.
In 2016, FFCCS established the Estuary Lands Committee, with the addition of some members from the French Creek Residents Association (FCRA) Board. The goal of the committee was to investigate feasible methods to secure as much of the estuary lands as possible for natural space and park, instead of for development.
The Committee has always been respectful of the fact that the land is privately owned with clear title and an RDN Development Permit (DP) dating from 1994. Fortunately, that DP has morphed over time with changes to BC’s environmental standards and there is no longer a threat of multi-storey condominiums being built on the land.
- RESULT OF THE COMMITTEE’S WORK TO DATE:
We established a productive working relationship with the owner of French Creek Estates Ltd. As a result, on Dec 11, 2018, FFCCS and FCRA signed a Memorandum
of Understanding with French Creek Estates Ltd. And French Creek House Ltd., the owners of the land This will facilitate the transfer of approximately 14 acres of the 23 acres into preserved parkland. - We met with Ducks Unlimited Canada and the West Coast Conservation Land Management Program last fall and are presently discussing options for the management of the parkland.
- We compiled and completed an on-line Community Survey conducted in July, 2018. The response was overwhelmingly positive towards forming an estuary park.
- During the summer of 2018, we worked in conjunction with the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute (MABRRI) and Vancouver Island University (VIU). VIU students and MABRRI staff conducted a land use and environmental survey of the estuary lands, and in October, 2018, a report French Creek Estuary:
Assessment of its Historical, Community, and Ecological Values was published by MABBRI. The link to the MABRRI/VIU report is:
http://mabrri.viu.ca/sites/default/files/frenchcreek_analysis.pdf
In Conclusion:
FFCCS has had the goal of securing the estuary lands for almost 15 years. Signing an MOU with the landowner to protect approximately 14 of the 23 acres is an important step towards succeeding in having this land protected.
Robin Robinson, Chair, Estuary Lands Committee,
Friends of French Creek Conservation Society
Updated January, 24, 2019