Over 120 acres are being turned into parks in the Comox Valley Regional District north of Courtenay.
The regional district recently acquired new park lands within Electoral Area C. The first is a 4.51 acre land donation received from Resolute North holdings Ltd. The donation was made through the federal Ecological Gifts Program, and is located adjacent to Maris Nature Park. Maris Nature Park features approximately 940 metres of ocean frontage with 44.05 acres of intact mature second growth forest. Further development of the park will be guided in part by community feedback and avoiding restricted or geographically sensitive areas. It is located next to Sarah and Brian McLoughlin Nature Park and the Eagles Greenway in Merville.
A management planning process is currently underway for Maris Nature Park with public engagement planned in 2025 where community feedback will inform the planning process.
The second park will be made up of two land parcels with a combined area of 115.86 acres located near Spike Road Park, also in Merville. This significantly increases the size of the existing park, and will further improve its ecological value. The park both protects a large, ecologically-sensitive wetland and extends the One Spot Trail through the 1,400 metre unopened road dedication which bisects the property. The property is also located on ALR land and will be subject to provincial rules.
Public engagement to support a management plan for Spike Road Park is expected to occur in 2026.
鈥淚t is important to note that both Maris Nature Park and Spike Road Park will remain inactive and not open to the public until their respective park management plans have been completed and the appropriate visitor infrastructure is in place,鈥� said Mark Harrison, Manager of Parks. 鈥淲e ask that residents do not enter these parks at this time. Official announcements regarding public engagement and park openings will be communicated once the management plans for these new park spaces have begun.鈥�
More information on the parks is available at and .
