TAYLOR PARK, a panhandle parcel of environmentally sensitive, salmon-bearing wetland on Renfrew Road in Shawnigan Lake, is being considered for gravel parking for upwards of 100 vehicles and construction of park amenities (bus parking, washroom facilities with a well and septic disposal field) as part of a proposed “Kinsol Trestle Gateway Project.”  

The water that runs through the Taylor Park meanders amongst trees, pools of water, and gurgling streams crossing under Renfrew Road and draining into the West Arm of Shawnigan Lake. Taylor Park is an oasis for humans, fish and wildlife alike—respectful of the role that wetlands serve in our lakeside ecology. Demolishing the landscape would amount to an ecological travesty as Taylor Park does not meet naturally-level parking lot criteria and would suffer from the amount of gravel and other materials necessary to fill in the unstable terrain. Furthermore, kingfishers, owls, herons and eagles are drawn to the food sources sustained by these streams. Alternate locations have been recommended.

The original Taylor Park vision, based on the Shawnigan Lake Parks and Trails Master Plan, could become a delightful jewel of the CVRD’s Active Transportation Plan to attract cyclists, hikers and day picnickers to enjoy a shady rest area just off of the Trans Canada Trail on their way to and from the Trestle. Respect for Taylor Park prioritizes the need for a healthy and functioning wetland, for mitigating rainfall, and for supporting fish and wildlife habitat.

Tread lightly where water must flow—preserve paradise over parking. Insist Taylor Park remains a park; not a parking lot.