The second-largest park in the Regional District of Nanaimo has added another parcel of forest land.
Gabriola Island’s 707 Community Park has grown by 3.6 hectares after the RDN purchased the land thanks in part to a donation from the Gabriola Land and Trails Trust.
Adjacent land was rezoned and added to the park in 2018 but the 3.6 hectares were excluded at the time and an RDN press release notes that “due to community interest in having this property added to the park, the Islands Trust required the developer to provide the right of first refusal to purchase the land to the RDN.”
The regional district says the new parkland property, close to Coats Marsh Regional Park, will provide “increased ecological protection” to the freshwater wetland. The new addition also connects an existing trail, “formalizing” a 2.3-kilometre trail loop in that part of the park.
The 707 Community Park is now 425.7 hectares.
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