So when we look at sustainability, the current thinking is to assess it from an ecological, financial, and social perspective. Let's talk about ecological. There is constant debate among the user groups as to the impacts that people are having on the ecosystem. While it is true that Garry Oak meadows are sensitive, it could be considered "sustainable" just by the very fact that it is protected. There are no Costcos slated for development, and the tennis players will just have to go to the community centre. So, will this park be around for future generations? Well, the local use impacts that seem to be contentious are: kids mt. biking on the rocks (eroding moss etc.), dogs running free and trampling vegetation, contamination from dog waste (must of us pick after our pooches, but there is still a few idiots out there), and human litter (garbage, broken glass etc.). My personal opinion, is that although these things are sometimes an eyesore and annoying, the park is more resiliant thann that. Large mammal wildlife, which in the past would have used this park....trample things, so the dog use isn't that different. Litter can be picked up, and graffitti washed away. The bigger threats to the ecological security in this park, I believe, are closer linked to global issues, such as climate change etc.
Gotta run....to be continued
Sunday, April 20, 2008
A little more history and a comment about sustainability
In addition to the history that I previously posted (which was off the top of my head), I now have a bit more - this is taken from a kiosk actually in the park, so I'm not exactly sure who to reference!
Before Summit Park, the hilltop was known as Smith Hill - Who Smith was we don not know, The Smith hill reservoir was completed in 1909 and was used to increase water pressure from the supply in far-off Elk Lake. It was taken out of use in 1964 when the Sooke Reservoir took over supplying Vicotria's water. According to the CRD Water Branch which owns the reservoir lands, it has a part to play in fighting fires in the park and in emergency preparedness; it could be brought bakc into use for potable wawter once capped. The Reservoir itself provides habitat for a variety of migratory and local waterbirds. While Hooded Mergansers are most usual, Mallards, American Widgeon, Bufflehead, Glaucous-winged gulll are also regulars. Less comon are Lesser Scaup, Northern shoveleer, Northern Pintail, Eurasian widgeon, and Belted Kingfisher. Harlequin Duck and Wood duck have put in appearances. At night, the reservoir can be packed with hundreds of ducks. By next morning, the only sight to be seen might be a party of gulls, splashing salt from their wings. At dusk, the hilltop is a perfiect place to watch the sunset and the swooping of swallows and bats.
Summit Park was established by the city of Victoria in June 1972 from about 21 acres of hilltop meadow. The reached 1.5 acres of privately owned property that was acquired for the park. Planted daffodil and lilac are allll that reamains of the private homes once in the park. The BC Telephne company was allowed to buy the communications tower site and right of way in 1973 even though the land was reserved for park! The park is now about 11 acres (4.66 Ha) in size. It provides necessary habitat for wildlife and a respite for all city dwellers.
Before Summit Park, the hilltop was known as Smith Hill - Who Smith was we don not know, The Smith hill reservoir was completed in 1909 and was used to increase water pressure from the supply in far-off Elk Lake. It was taken out of use in 1964 when the Sooke Reservoir took over supplying Vicotria's water. According to the CRD Water Branch which owns the reservoir lands, it has a part to play in fighting fires in the park and in emergency preparedness; it could be brought bakc into use for potable wawter once capped. The Reservoir itself provides habitat for a variety of migratory and local waterbirds. While Hooded Mergansers are most usual, Mallards, American Widgeon, Bufflehead, Glaucous-winged gulll are also regulars. Less comon are Lesser Scaup, Northern shoveleer, Northern Pintail, Eurasian widgeon, and Belted Kingfisher. Harlequin Duck and Wood duck have put in appearances. At night, the reservoir can be packed with hundreds of ducks. By next morning, the only sight to be seen might be a party of gulls, splashing salt from their wings. At dusk, the hilltop is a perfiect place to watch the sunset and the swooping of swallows and bats.
Summit Park was established by the city of Victoria in June 1972 from about 21 acres of hilltop meadow. The reached 1.5 acres of privately owned property that was acquired for the park. Planted daffodil and lilac are allll that reamains of the private homes once in the park. The BC Telephne company was allowed to buy the communications tower site and right of way in 1973 even though the land was reserved for park! The park is now about 11 acres (4.66 Ha) in size. It provides necessary habitat for wildlife and a respite for all city dwellers.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Beginning ponderings
I'm doing this blog for a class that I'm taking taking at Royal Roads University on Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The course is called "Sustainable Development and Community Relations", and in it, we are asked to create a blog on our observations of sustainability as it affects our community.
Well...one of communities that I'm a part of now is the Prior Street community,as we bought an old house in this Victoria neighbourhood just six months ago. Being that I am completely caught up in a ridiculous work load with this school program for a 12 month period, I haven't had much time to develop a strong relationship with the community for which we live in. There is one very strong community tie between myself and my neighbours by reason of geography, however, and that is Summit Park, which is located at the NE corner of (what I identify as ) our "hood": the cluster of houses that lie between the borders of Finlayson st., Cook st. Quadra st. and Hillside ave.
Summit Park is a protected Garry Oak meadow, which has played many roles in the community over the years. It is the site of a water reservoir, that at one time supplied drinking water to the area, as well a huge communication tower that was installed by BC Tel back in the 60's or 70's (I'm not sure about the date). It has a series of trails, a few benches, and some very cool bedrock cliffs that provide a great view of the city. The water reservoir has been out of use (as a source of Victoria drinking water) for some time, and is now used primarily as a refuge for ducks and seagulls. I see buffle heads and mallards on my daily dog walks in the area, and apparently it is used as a stopover for a variety of other migrating species. There's also the "Friends of Summit Park", which is a group of locals that lobbied to get the park protected, after a proposal was put through to turn the reservoir into a private tennis club!
Currently, the park is used by a lot of people for a variety of purposes. Loads of people use it as a peaceful corridor on their walks to work/school. There's the dog walkers like myself, birders (The meadow creates habitat for sapsuckers, robins, chickadees and a whole bunch of other birds that i can't identify!), photographers, artists, homeless people (I found a tent the other day set up in a thick brush area), partying teens, picknickers and probablymany others.
So...there's my little interpretation of what the park is. The question I'm supposed to be pondering is the sustainability aspects of this park. I'm now running late for class, so this discussion is formally postponed.
Well...one of communities that I'm a part of now is the Prior Street community,as we bought an old house in this Victoria neighbourhood just six months ago. Being that I am completely caught up in a ridiculous work load with this school program for a 12 month period, I haven't had much time to develop a strong relationship with the community for which we live in. There is one very strong community tie between myself and my neighbours by reason of geography, however, and that is Summit Park, which is located at the NE corner of (what I identify as ) our "hood": the cluster of houses that lie between the borders of Finlayson st., Cook st. Quadra st. and Hillside ave.
Summit Park is a protected Garry Oak meadow, which has played many roles in the community over the years. It is the site of a water reservoir, that at one time supplied drinking water to the area, as well a huge communication tower that was installed by BC Tel back in the 60's or 70's (I'm not sure about the date). It has a series of trails, a few benches, and some very cool bedrock cliffs that provide a great view of the city. The water reservoir has been out of use (as a source of Victoria drinking water) for some time, and is now used primarily as a refuge for ducks and seagulls. I see buffle heads and mallards on my daily dog walks in the area, and apparently it is used as a stopover for a variety of other migrating species. There's also the "Friends of Summit Park", which is a group of locals that lobbied to get the park protected, after a proposal was put through to turn the reservoir into a private tennis club!
Currently, the park is used by a lot of people for a variety of purposes. Loads of people use it as a peaceful corridor on their walks to work/school. There's the dog walkers like myself, birders (The meadow creates habitat for sapsuckers, robins, chickadees and a whole bunch of other birds that i can't identify!), photographers, artists, homeless people (I found a tent the other day set up in a thick brush area), partying teens, picknickers and probablymany others.
So...there's my little interpretation of what the park is. The question I'm supposed to be pondering is the sustainability aspects of this park. I'm now running late for class, so this discussion is formally postponed.
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