Photo of Agamemnon and Eleni Kasapi Park with Mayor Lisa Helps and members of the South Jubilee Neighbourhood Association
A new park has arrived in the South Jubilee neighbourhood thanks to the City’s purchase of a 12,700 square foot parcel of land comprised of a Garry oak meadow at the corner of Leighton Road and Bank Street.
The new park is named Agamemnon and Eleni Kasapi Park in recognition of the family’s preservation of the property in its natural state for the benefit of the community. The City will maintain the open space with a few enhancements, such as:
- A wood chip pathway
- Bench seating
- Signage, including information about the Indigenous history of the land
The property has environmental significance as Garry oak ecosystems are endangered, with less than five per cent remaining in Canada.
Local residents have long expressed a desire to see this property preserved as green space for public use, leading the City to initiate discussions with the property owner about acquiring the land to create a new neighbourhood park.
Appraised at $1.21 million, the City purchased the property for $1 million with funding from its Parks Acquisition Fund and the issuance of a charitable donation receipt for the remainder of the purchase price. The family has donated the proceeds from the sale to the University of Victoria to establish an endowment supporting two undergraduate scholarships in the Faculty of Science.
The City is committed to preserving natural areas and ensuring quality green space for residents throughout the municipality. The City’s Parks and Open Spaces Master Plan lays out a roadmap to guide planning, management and investment over the next 25 years. The plan was developed with extensive public engagement and highlights the importance of prioritizing acquisition of land that has ecological value.