City of Courtenay Annual Report 2022

RECREATION, CULTURE & COMMUNITY SERVICES McPhee Meadows Concept Plan

estuary. The land donation and plans for trail access will help secure more than 20% of the estimated 2.6 kilometre Puntledge River Greenway. The City of Courtenay and the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF) have a licence of occupation in place that covers the ICF lands along Menzies Avenue between 1st and 5th Streets. These lands are considered in the concept plan for access to McPhee Meadows, park, and trail uses, pending confirmation of agreements between the partners. Under the terms of the land donation agreement, use and maintenance of the McPhee Meadows property must follow certain guidelines. These include maintaining biodiversity and environmental heritage features such as rivers, riparian areas, trees, and eagle nests. The City retained Urban Systems to assist with preparing the concept plan.

A long-held vision for public access to a large property along the Puntledge River is one step closer to reality with Council's approval of the concept plan for McPhee Meadows. The concept plan includes these key features: • Formalized river access point • Orchard expansion to allow for demonstration gardens and cultural/heritage learning spaces • Pedestrian trails around meadow and through the west panhandle • Access points from Menzies Avenue and 3rd Street • Washroom facility & parking • Select invasive species removal • Native tree/shrub planting for riparian restoration and adjacent property privacy McPhee Meadows is a 4.6 hectare (11.3 acre) riverfront property that was donated to the City of Courtenay and Nature Trust BC through the federal Ecological Gift Program in 2011. The donor was the late Robert McPhee, a former Courtenay mayor and long-time member of Council who envisioned public access and preserving the site in perpetuity as a public green space. While the park remains closed to the public at this time, the City looks forward to its opening in the future following completion and implementation of the concept plan. The site is located on the south bank of the Puntledge River around 4.1 kilometres upstream of the Courtenay River

McPhee Meadows Map

McPhee Meadows Orchard Area

City of Courtenay | 2022 Annual Report

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