Vote NO to 4439 Blenkinsop 5 acre acquisition
Since 1956 the Harwood family has owned the 4439 property and owned 4465 and 4459 prior to being sold off in divorce of 1970s.
The original parcel consisted of the land from Pearce crescent South to Lohbrunner Rd on East side, mountain side of Blenkinsop Rd.
The original parcel of 19 acres consisted of half of the intermediate knoll of Mt Douglas as well as near the entire primary knoll.
The Friends of Mt Douglas Park Society call out our primary knoll in section 3 Acquisition of the FoMDPS constitution for Park protection since 1981?
Since 1978 the upper 1.5 acres that borders on Mt Douglas Park has been marked for Parks acquisition by Saanich.
In 2003/4 we talked about selling land to Parks.
At the time Saanich offered $62,500 per acre for acreage we paid taxes on $125,000 per acre, we declined.
2005 Anita Harwood diagnosed with Cancer.
In 2008 Anita Harwood died of Cancer.
In 2009 the family of Anita Harwood began a conversation with Saanich in order to bring Park protection to the four acres of Primary Knoll and Garry Oak ecosystem.
The primary knoll consists of approximately 2.5 acres and the rear 1.5 acres Saanich has marked for acquisition is East of these 2.5 acres.
In total there are 4 acres of Mt Douglas rock and Garry Oak ecosystem that require Park Protection.
Many times during 2009 Saanich was offered the four acres at the appraised value, as determined twice by independent appraisers, 2008, 2009.
The appraised value is $150,000 per acre, a far cry from the potential sale price should this land be developed. It is after all on rock and would provide tremendous views to high end buyers looking for panoramic view sites. We have owned the property longer than the rules have been in place. We could have continued the Pearce Crescent subdivision but as (stupid) farmers we declined the offer.
Users of Mt Douglas use our four acres as if it is parks already despite the fact that it is PRIVATE PROPERTY that we pay over $4000 a year taxes on.
Saanich continued to decline our offer to protect four acres and has since taken the position that buying all five acres forcing the Harwood family from their home of over fourty years in order to build a parking lot on the last usable piece of farmland left of the original 19 acres is the best interest for Saanich.
A lil history will show that of the 19 acres only 5 were farmable and of those five less than 1 acre now remain farmable land.
14 acres of the original 19 are Mt Douglas rock. 4 have been moved to parks approx 15 years ago.
4459 and 4465 both currently offer ~3 acres each and Harwoods at 4439 offer their four Mt Douglas acres. 10 acres available now, 4 already protected of the original 19.
Of the remaining five acres (of the original parcel) a large house was built at 4465 and the field was converted to septic field not suitable for food production.
4459 has no tillable land.
4439 has approximately ½ acre which Saanich wants to fill with rock and convert to a parking lot so users of Mt Douglas who currently trespass on our land will have free access and parking to Mt Douglas Park.
In consideration of Saanich’s needs I proposed that Saanich buy the 4459 parcel which has dual driveway access plus an upper and lower parking area already created and no house to remove.
The access to Mt Doug trail system is much less of an incline thru 4459 and more suitable to users of Park.
It is very steep access thru 4439 and may not be a suitable access for Parks at all because of the steep grade of the primary knoll hill.
As a long time resident of Saanich (since 1961 myself and much longer for my parents who resided and then bought in 1956) I’m asking that you vote NO to the five acres acquisition of 4439 as this forces me from my family home of over 40 years.
Instead Parking and access can be more easily achieved using 4459 as parking and access.
At same time four acres of 4439 should be integrated into Parks and my family home of over 40 years should remain in Harwood ownership.
There is no need for Saanich to acquire my family home and either resell it or tear it down for parking and access when a much better solution lies on 100 feet away at 4459 Blenkinsop.
My family home is part of the Heritage of the Blenkinsop Valley and I continue to wish to retain my family home.
Please vote NO (when it comes up) to acquiring all five 4439 acres when only four were and are offered.
Thank you
Ray Harwood
4439 Blenkinsop Rd
250.652.8097
PS Saanich did offer me to keep my home in this way.
Saanich decided that I should pay $900,000 an acre for my 1/3 acre lot they were willing to leave me, plus, I would have to pay $90,000 for the house and then an addition $40,000ish to relocate a septic system as the current system is located on part of the property Saanich wants for Parking.
So 1/3 acre of $900K is $300,000 plus $90,000 plus $40,000 now tallying $430,000 for a 40 year old 1400 sq ft home on a patch of dirt measuring 1/3 acre total.
Saanich then offered to pay $90,000 an acre for the remaining 4 2/3 acres of the Harwood 4439 Parcel.
I am unable to phathom how Saanich would expect me to pay $900,000 an acre for my parcel while they would get the remainder for $90,000 an acre a mere 10% of what I am expected to pay for land we already own.
Current appraisal for 4439 five acres with house is $840,000.
Breaks down as $150,000 per acre x five is $750,000 plus $90,000 for the house is now the $840,000 appraised value.
Selling four acres to Parks would be $600,000 based on current appraised values as well as BCTax assessment allows the Harwood family home to remain in Harwood ownership as they wish.
Help me save the home where my family grew up so that I may have a future. As I near fifty years of age I am not interested in restarting my life over somewhere else when the solution for Parks and Harwood’s is easily at hand.
Thank you.
Mt Douglas Western Gateway
Mt Douglas Park is in light green and the top of Mt Doug look out is at top of page in this image.
4459 Blenkinsop is for sale providing Saanich Parks an opportunity to acquire western access and Parking from Blenkinsop Rd
Properties North and South of 4459 also have land to be moved into Parks protection.
The lookout is at bottom of screen in this image above
below as seen from Lochside/Broadmead .
4439 property has long been owned by the Harwood family.
Bought in 1956 for $8,000 Don's Chicken Ranch began with only four chickens.
Today the original property has been split in four.
First in 1978 when Don and Anita divorced leaving Anita to raise the remaining three children as Raymond left home at just 18 yrs of age.
Bill Louis bought the farm and later when he passed the farm was sold again to a developments corp who managed to subdivide the property into three more pieces, 4459, 4465 and the diamond shaped piece above where it says tat and Mt Douglas two images above.
Now we have four properties three of which are five acres, 4439, 4459, 4465 and the rear two of both 4459 and 4465 making the fourth parcel.
With 4459 available for parking and dual access from road additional parking "up-top" access to Mt Douglas trail system is gained within minutes. Property owners along the western knoll are all interested in expanding parks protection to this rare and delicate ecosystem.
Mt Douglas Park Society wants the primary knoll in Parks protection as written in their constitution section 3 Acquisition.
GOERT tell us that a mere 1% of the original Garry Oak ecosstem remains intact today. These 12 acres are a significant part of that 1 remaining percent.