The Greater Victoria Greenbelt Society has announced completion of phase one of their campaign to create a large nature park on the Mary Lake property in the Highlands.
The park will encompass 73 acres, including a 7 acre lake, creeks, wetlands and surrounding natural forest land in the middle of a 13,000 year old watershed which is under threat of disappearing due to encroaching development.
Since the GVGS first attempted to buy the property for $4.6 million 20 acres of the Estate was sold off to a developer. But that also dropped the property's price to a more manageable $2.6 million.
Over the past 6 months the society has raised $1.3 million, and will be raisings the remaining $1.3-million through grants and donations. Meantime they've secured bridge financing to close on the purchase on Dec. 23rd.
Once the mortgage is paid in full the Mary Lake Nature Park will become a municipal park. Until that time it will remain a private property.