Nanaimo council has approved a park plan for an almost 30-acre property on East Wellington Road.
The land was acquired by the city in 2014 to expand the Millstone Greenway, a city-owned nature corridor running from Maffeo Sutton Park to East Wellington Road along the Millstone River.
The plan for East Wellington Park includes enhancing the riparian zone next to the river, creating paths and removing invasive plants.
Night-sky viewing and on-leash dog walking are already popular on the site, which consists of a large field and deciduous and coniferous trees. The land has been used to grow hay for many years. “Hopefully, it will shape up to be a really nice place to set up your telescope and be shielded a little bit from the increasing amount of city lights,” said Coun. Tyler Brown.
Community involvement in planning began in 2018. Environmental assessments have been carried out. A survey found 57 plant species on the land, which is also home to wildlife including red legged frogs, small mammals, songbirds and amphibians.
Coun. Janice Perrino, who walks her dog in the park, said many dogs run off-leash there. She suggested improved signage explaining that the area is environmentally sensitive.
Deborah Beck, Nanaimo’s parks and open space planner, said the park is within the agricultural land reserve, which means proposals for interpretive signs and raised platforms — anything that would not be typically found within a farm — must go to the agricultural land commission for approval. The land is on the floodplain of the Millstone River and some of it is under water for much of winter.
Now that the park plan has been supported by council, there is the possibility of agriculture, working with community groups, and for education, Beck said.
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