View Royal is asking residents what they want to see in a new neighbourhood park at Watkiss Way and Burnside Road.
The 1.5-acre linear space at the edge of B.C. Transit’s new $83-million HandyDART facility is being leased to the town by the Transportation Ministry for $1 per year.
View Royal has allocated $170,000 from its 2024 capital budget for improvements to the park, noting the funding is coming through grants.
The property is close to transit routes and the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, but uses are limited because access has to be maintained to a large Capital Regional District water main that runs under the park.
That means permanent structures and asphalt cannot be installed, but benches, fencing, grass, an off-leash dog area and community garden plots are possible, according to town planners.
There are currently five off-leash dog park areas in View Royal, including Thetis Lake Regional Park.
View Royal said residents can offer their thoughts through an online survey at viewroyal.ca until Nov. 24. There’s also a drop-in open house on Nov. 18 between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at Eagle View Elementary School gym at 97 Talcott Rd. or an on-site pop-up between 10 a.m. and noon at 2401 Burnside Rd.
The HandyDART yard and dispatching facility is expected to be operational next year. The federal government is contributing $21.8 million, the province $40.1 million and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission $21.6 million.
HandyDART provides door-to-door shuttles for people with mobility challenges or disabilities. The service provides about 400,000 trips in the region per year and demand is growing.
The centre will occupy a portion of the nine-acre property, with sidewalks, landscaping and environmental restoration on the remainder.
