An amazing ȽÁUWELṈEW tradition continues: The Peninsula Salish / W’S’ANEC People have found an ideal cedar log to create two traditional canoes. This tree, located just north of the Duck Pond was hit by lightning and has fallen over. A Pauquachin carver Curtis Henry (always known as Spud), and others will be working just as […]
Category Archives: Park History
LES DESFOSSES PRESENTS
LAUWELNEW | 7:50min | JOHN DEAN PARK, 2014 “…Mount Newton mantled by the deep green of John Dean Park.” “…these magnificent old trees – these huge firs and cedars, that remind you that John Dean Park is the home on the largest stand of old growth forest we still have on the Saanich Peninsula.”
SUMMIT TREE TOPPING CONTINUES FOR YYJ
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/john_dean/ “Please note: Regular maintenance will be taking place adjacent to the Nav Canada radar site through August and September. The work will involve the topping of a number of trees to the west and north of the radar dome in order to maintain communications critical to airport navigational safety. If you have any questions […]
THE WEST BLOCK ADDITION – 1989
A FRIENDS LEGACY – Twenty five years ago the Friends of John Dean Park achieved the sixth and most recent addition to John Dean Provincial Park, Alec Road to Dean Park. The 66.9 acre West Block addition was the upper/eastern portion of a 132 acre Crown Grant that Jacob Hunter Todd received on February 1, […]
JOHN DEAN’S SACRED TRUST
Film By Don Robb and Jarrett Teague – 1996 (29:18, courtesy YouTube, Shaw) Between March and June 1996, Don Robb and Jarrett Teague created the film: John Dean’s Sacred Trust. The initial plan was to celebrate the parks 75th anniversary; however the priority message needed to focus on the proposed down-loading from the province to the […]
30 Years – EDO NYLAND’S LEGACIES
“We think it is urgent that some organised group be formed to protect the park from fire and vandalism, and to coordinate the use of John Dean Park.” On May 10, 1984: 1) Edith Gardner; 2) Cy Hampson; 3) Josephine Doman; and 4) Des Crossley, met at: 5-6) Elisabeth and Edo Nyland’s home. They all […]
ESTABLISHING A SUITABLE TRAIL SYSTEM, 1987-90
By 1987, the parks clean-up was well underway. On January 9, 1987, the founder and president of the Friends, Edo Nyland met with the BC Parks Zone Supervisor; Parks Planner; Resource Technician & Surveyor; and the Visitor Services Representative. They toured the old-growth valley, out the West Viewpoint, along the Surveyors’ Trail and up the […]
SAMUEL KELLY
THE FIRST OWNER OF: Section 1, Range 1 West, North Saanich On August 15, 1883, Samuel Leon Kelly (age 61) attended a government land sale in Victoria. He was the highest bidder of catalogue Lot No. 18, officially known as: Section 1, Range 1 West, North Saanich. This one hundred acre section sold for $1.12½ […]
VOLUNTEER ELDERS – 7 years plus
Friends Executive Service / Park Volunteer These consistent and amazing volunteers – are the precious few – who have maintained the “Friends” and supported this provincial park since 1984. Updated for end-2022 Name Period (years) Impression Elizabeth Nyland 1984 – 1999 (15) Founder Edo Nyland 1984 – 2017 (33) Founder, Builder, President & Advisor, […]
EARTH GRAVITY SITE – MOUNT NEWTON
The Earth Gravity Site on Mount Newton, in John Dean Provincial Park – was created in 1979. It’s one of 5,737 control stations that were systematically established across Canada in the 1970s. Ours is located inside the park, on the west side of Dean Park Road, 30′ NE of the upper over-flow parking lot, in a mossy meadow. The Centre for […]