MOUNTING LEGAL FEES AND “WARNINGS” OF ADDED COURT COSTS LEAD THE FRIENDS OF VIC HIGH TO BEGIN THE PROCESS TO TERMINATE THE PETITION RE: THE VIC HIGH LAND DISPUTE, JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE SCHEDULED BC SUPREME COURT DATE.

Victoria, BC: Thursday, June 27, 2025

Hello Friends of Vic High,

It’s been a while since we communicated, and that’s because we have been busy navigating the intricacies of preparing for a mid-July 2025 court date. For more than two years, our legal team has been engaging with the other three separate parties named in the petition (the City of Victoria, SD 61, and the Ministry of Education). 

It has been a heavy lift for our small team and costly—we exhausted the monies we raised more than six months ago and have accumulated an additional $35,000 in legal fees just to keep fighting. The FOVH hopes that supporters will consider another donation to help us reduce this liability. https://www.gofundme.com/f/v4vzd-friends-of-vic-high/donate?source=btn_story_donate

Unfortunately, about five weeks ago, one of the parties named in the petition communicated with our legal team to let them know that they would seek costs against our volunteer petitioner if we were to lose. This means that our petitioner, Brit, would be personally liable for the cost if we were to lose in court. The FOVH assured Brit over two years ago that if he were to support us, we would not put him at any financial or legal risk. 

Today, we are unable to continue to assure him of this. 

The FOVH does not currently have the financial means to support Brit, should we be unsuccessful. We had been talking to several supporters to seek added financial backing, but unfortunately, none of these conversations have led to an influx of the necessary funds. 

Facing these current realities, Brit has formally asked the FOVH to instruct our legal counsel to begin the process to terminate the petition. The FOVH understands and is grateful to Brit for his steadfast support.

Unless an unexpected influx of funding occurs, the FOVH will begin taking formal steps to withdraw the petition on Friday, June 27, 2025. 

After more than four years of battling, this decision is more than disappointing to all of those who led the fight and for the thousands of supporters that aligned with our mission to bring equality to the kids of Vic High.

In June of this year, news reports detailed concerns by some Vic High parents and community leaders that the 2-lane track built at Vic High was not safe or adequate for training purposes—or fully considered as per the needs of the students—validating much of what the FOVH has been saying for years. Specifically, these concerned citizens are on record stating that

“The two-lane path… fails to meet this basic standard—there is a chain-link fence on one side and field light poles on the other that put students and anyone who runs on the path at risk of injury. The sharp corners present additional hazards.”

-       Victoria News, June 23, 2025

Despite the much-needed seismic and beautification renovation now completed at Vic High (founding members of the FOVH were instrumental is stopping SD61 from razing the building in the first place), the students will continue to be without at a standard track to train and compete on, likely for a generation or more. 

The core of the dispute involves the encroachment of the City’s so-called easement onto Vic High property—an action that ultimately contributed to the undisclosed cancellation of the long-term vision of building a proper 8-lane competitive track and field facility for students and forced the destruction of the existing Memorial track.

The FOVH’s sole interest was to advocate for the rights of current and future Vic High students as it relates to the track and field revitalization and to ensure equitable treatment and opportunity. We are proud of our effort and for the fact that we managed to bring this issue into the public domain for debate. 

Decisions made by the powers that be must consider the rights of all students to be treated fairly and equitably. The Vic High Memorial Stadium Revitalization project ultimately let down the kids of Vic High and the community. 

We will communicate with you again if by chance things change in the days ahead. Until then, a big thank you to everyone who stood shoulder to shoulder with us. 

And to my FOVH warriors, your efforts have not been in vain. We did shine a spotlight on the inequalities of our school system and on the danger of the top-down, status quo decision-making process, which continues to drive the agenda in Victoria with apparent purposeful disregard for the rights of many. 

Thank you.

With gratitude,

Stephen Dorsey

Friends of Vic High