community-park

Bloom Fund grant announcement

The Salt Spring Island Foundation is absolutely delighted to announce that the Bloom Fund Grant of $100,000 is being awarded to the Capital Regional District for the Hwmet'utsum Mount Maxwell Community Park Land Acquisition project, for the purchase of land on the northeast slope of Hwmet'utsum. The community park will be a new 75-acre park with trails for the public and will support the protection of sensitive ecosystems in the neighbouring watershed and will preserve the Coastal Douglas-fir forest from logging and development. Moving this land from private to community ownership will create the largest contiguous tract of protected land in the Southern Gulf Islands, as it is adjacent to Xwaaqw’um, also known as Mount Maxwell Provincial Park and Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park. The Bloom Fund Grant was made possible with a generous $100,000 donation to the Salt Spring Island Foundation from the Bloom Canadian Alter Eco Trust, a funding vehicle established for the legacy of …

Hwmet’utsum/Mt Maxwell forest protection assured as community park fundraising campaign reaches goal

The Salt Spring Community Park campaign announced today that the initiative to raise the final $350,000 towards the purchase of 75 acres of forested land on Hwmet’utsum/Mount Maxwell has reached its goal ahead of the October 31, 2022 deadline, thanks to a final grassroots push, and a generous grant from the Salt Spring Island Foundation which was enabled by a grant from the Trust established for the estate of the late Susan Bloom. “This is the end of a three-year process involving many stakeholders. I’m so proud of how the community has jumped in at the end to get us across the finish line,” said Elizabeth FitzZaland, Co-Chair of Salt Spring Solutions, the lead organizer in a large coalition of community groups that came together to save the land. “So many islanders and friends of Salt Spring Island have contributed in different ways, from cash donations to organizing events, but we owe a special thank you to Foxglove Farm and Bullock Lake Farm for hosting two recent even…

Fundraiser for Salt Spring Community Park helps put the finish line in sight

The campaign to acquire 75 acres on Hwmet’utsum (Mt. Maxwell) for a community park took a major leap forward this past Monday, with a fund-raising dinner at Foxglove Farm hosted by Michael Ableman and Jeanne-Marie Herman, and organized by local non-profit Salt Spring Solutions with the help of partners, local businesses and other volunteers. More than 80 community members came together to pledge over $150,000 during the event. Host and MC Ableman humorously held the apple tartine dessert hostage until they reached the night’s goal. Haidee Hart, familiar to Salt Springers who love her wares at Woodshed Provisions, created the dessert, and was one of four renowned chefs who collaborated on the meal. After an initial serving of warming bone broth, Maxime Durand of Eva Schnitzelhaus in Victoria led the way with melon and salmon salads. Galiano’s Pilgrimme chefs Melanie Witt and Jesse McCleery followed with beautiful vegetable pizzas, and Dave Gunawan of Vancouver’s Ubuntu Can…

Community Park campaign release video to encourage charitable donations for park land acquisition

Salt Spring Community Park campaign has released a new video to share the story about their goal for establishing a new multi-use trail network and protected area on Salt Spring Island. Salt Spring Community Park will be a new 75 acre park with trails for the public on the northeast slope of Hwmet’utsum/Mt. Maxwell that will support the protection of sensitive ecosystems in the neighbouring watershed and will preserve the forest from logging and development. Moving this land from private to community ownership will create the largest contiguous tract of protected land in the Southern Gulf Islands. The 75-acre property is located on the northeast facing slope of Hwmet’utsum/Mt. Maxwell, and helps protect Mt. Maxwell Provincial Park, Mt. Maxwell Ecological Reserve, and Mt. Maxwell Lake – a vital water supply for Salt Spring Island. While Salt Spring Island has several protected conservation areas, the island lacks multi-use recreation opportunities that are welcoming to div…

Campaign launches to create a new Community Park at Hwmet’utsum/Mt. Maxwell

The Capital Regional District (CRD) Board has agreed to purchase, in partnership with Salt Spring Solutions Society (SSS) and a community collective of stakeholders, 75 acres of land and a Statutory Right of Way on Mount Maxwell for community park purposes. This acquisition is subject to raising an additional $350,000 through community fundraising. The 75 acre forested property is being offered to the community for a reduced price of $850,000 thanks to a generous donation by the family that owns the property. An additional $250,000 donation has been pledged by local philanthropists, and the CRD will contribute $250,000 towards the purchase price through the Salt Spring Island Park Land Acquisition Fund. The remaining $350,000 of the purchase price needs to be funded through community fundraising coordinated by SSS and the Salt Spring Island Foundation. “The CRD recognizes the high recreational and conservation values of this property near Mount Maxwell, traditionally kno…