Trail users along Westwood Lake now have a better, and more legal, connection to Mount Benson following a land deal with the City of Nanaimo, Regional District and Mosaic. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

happy trails

Huge land acquisition formally connects Mount Benson with Westwood Lake

Aug 12, 2022 | 4:25 PM

NANAIMO — Hikers can now easily, and legally, make the long track between two favourite outdoor recreation spots.

The City and Regional District of Nanaimo combined for a $4.21 million purchase of 99.1 hectares of land from Mosaic Forest Management. Two parcels were purchased by the RDN, while a third will go to the City and create a publicly-owned pathway from Westwood Lake to Mount Benson.

Tyler Brown, RDN board chair and City of Nanaimo councillor, told NanaimoNewsNOW the acquisition complements work done in the area over recent years, including upgrades to Mount Benson Regional Park and Ammonite Falls.

“The Board has been very committed to building on existing parks systems but also expanding them to a degree that hasn’t been seen before. This is the first that’s been realized but we’re constantly looking for additional opportunities to add more to the regional parks systems.”

All three plots of land have several informal trail networks, according to Brown, however further work from the City and RDN will map and develop them for public use.

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Online mapping tools are also set to be updated so hikers can have a better idea of what to expect, before venturing out.

Brown said the purchases are a significant boost both recreationally and environmentally.

“They have such immediate value but they also have value in perpetuity. People will continue to use them as the population grows, as people move here or just get outdoors, there’s a lot of value in preserving huge tracks of land to be used as parks and green space.”

The addition of these lands to the RDN and City’s boundaries lends further reason for discussions with Snuneymuxw First Nation on reconciliation and preserving traditional culture.

“We want to continue to work with Snuneymuxw to focus on language, the proper naming of places and do our part to restore the traditional naming of places. There’s a lot of opportunity there moving forward to have those conversations with Snuneymuxw and to continue to have them and see some of that realized.”

Brown added while nothing is imminent, discussions about Mount Benson and the restoring of traditional names, are ongoing with Snuneymuxw First Nation.

The move would not be without precedent.

Naming of the former Newcastle Island was restored to Saysutshun in late 2021, while School District 68 recently approved Indigenous names for both the former Coal Tyee Elementary and NDSS Community Field.

Parcels one and two were purchased by the Regional District on Nanaimo, while a third is now owned by the City of Nanaimo after a transaction with Mosaic Forest Management. (RDN)

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