A local group is trying to preserve a green space that Saanich proposed buying earlier this year.
The District proposed buying King's Park, formerly known as Hydro Fields, but only if the community could come together to collect half the money needed to secure the park
The community has been fighting to save the park, with over 2,500 signatures collected on a petition, though the group is still short of the 2.7 million dollars needed to secure the park.
Two time Olympic rower and part of the group trying to save Kings Park, Adam Kreek, says they are hosting an event at the park on Saturday from 1 to 3 o'clock, and calling for donations.
"We're actually putting it up for a donor who might want to donate and actually name the park. If there's someone out there listening who wants to leave a legacy in the Greater Victoria area and Saanich, then naming rights are available."
The group is partnering with the Saanich Legacy Foundation, which can issue tax receipts to those who donate, and Kreek likes working with them.
"I like that we are partnering with an organization that has 'legacy' in the name, because this park should be set up as a legacy for all those who come after us. You know, we're leading this, my wife Rebecca and I are leading this campaign, but it's not really about us, it's about the community, it's about the green space. You know, people come and go from different areas, especially this area which is urban. So we want to make sure that there is green space that's accessible, you don't have to hope in your car and drive 30 minutes to get to a green space, you can actually walk to one that's in your backyard and access that."
Kreek says the park sees hundreds of users each day, from people walking their dogs, to kids playing in the field, to people walking through it to get to bus routes on Richmond road or to the Royal Jubilee hospital, or to work in the area. It's also a habitat for local wildlife, including hawks and owls.
The group is still raising money to help save the greens pace, and they are holding a rally at Kings Park on Saturday from 1 to 3 pm, where they are calling for donations. Kreek adds that they are also giving naming rights to a big contributor who wants to leave his mark in the community.