No more human remains have been discovered at the Craigflower Elementary School playing field after more than a week of careful excavation and archeology work.
However, shells used as dishes by ancient First Nations people were uncovered during the ongoing investigation of a midden, said Colin Doyle, Saanich’s director of engineering.
B.C. Hydro crews digging holes for power poles found the skeletal remains of two people in mid-February while working on the site in connection with the Craigflower Bridge.
The excavations began as part of the construction of abutments and approaches for the bridge’s replacement, a joint project of Saanich and View Royal.
Tenders are currently being received for construction of the new $11.9-million bridge, Doyle said. Work on replacing the bridge is expected to begin in April and take about six months.
The bridge is about 75 years old.
If no other remains are found, the project is expected to proceed on time and on budget, Doyle has said.
The human remains were found in an area traditionally known as Kosap-som by ancestors of the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations. It is believed to have been inhabited for more than 2,500 years and is known to contain a huge shell midden.
Numerous skeletons have been previously discovered in the area, said Songhees band councillor Ron Sam.
The remains may be kept safe until the bridge is completed, so that all remains unearthed can be reburied together, Sam said.
Coast Salish tribes are believed to have fished in the area for thousands of years and had common winter quarters beside Portage Inlet.
