The Friends of Dominion Brook Park Society is issuing a desperate plea for volunteers to help maintain the historic 11-acre park in North Saanich.
With dwindling numbers and the peak growing season underway, the society fears that the park, a cherished local landmark, could revert to its former neglected state.
Nancy Johnson, president of the society, explained they are currently relying on a dedicated but small group of approximately 11 active volunteers to manage the park’s extensive needs, including weeding, cleaning, pruning, watering and planting. However, recent vacations and other commitments have left the park severely understaffed.
“Last week, there was only one person who showed up to work,” Johnson lamented. “Volunteers are discouraged from working by themselves, so that one person had to go home.”
While she and her husband returned later that week and were joined by a new volunteer to spend two hours watering, she emphasized the current workload is simply too much for the handful of individuals who are able to contribute.
“There's just too much work for two to three people to keep up, and this is the time of the year that we need it most. We only work from March to October, and that's when things are growing.”
Johnson stated the society is actively seeking to recruit between 12 and 20 new volunteers. Critically, they are also looking for an individual with substantial plant knowledge to supervise volunteer work on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon. This individual would provide guidance and direction to the volunteers, ensuring that the park’s unique flora receives the specific care it requires.
"They don't have to be a botanist or a horticulturist, but someone who knows how things grow and when to prune is needed to supervise the handful of volunteers that do show up and give them direction,” Johnson clarified.
Dominion Brook Park boasts a diverse collection of plants, a living legacy from its establishment in 1912 by the Canadian Department of Agriculture as a public arboretum and ornamental garden.
Plant material was sourced from renowned nurseries across the globe, including Britain, France, Holland, Germany, Japan, and the U.S.A.
Remnants of the original plantings, such as conifers, rhododendrons and various ornamentals, still thrive within the park today.
Since 2001, the Friends of Dominion Brook Park Society has been diligently working to restore the park to its former glory.
Volunteers have dedicated over 10,000 hours to cleanup and rehabilitation efforts, with support from the District of North Saanich and the Centre for Plant Health (formerly the Dominion Experimental Farm).
Johnson expressed her deep concern that the diminishing volunteer base could undo years of hard work, potentially leading the park back to the overgrown condition it was in when it was abandoned by the federal government 26 years ago. At that time, ivy and weeds threatened to overwhelm the park, jeopardizing what Johnson calls “Saanich Peninsula’s hidden gem.”
Despite these challenges, the society remains committed to enhancing the park experience.
They are currently installing interpretive signs to educate visitors about the park’s environment, natural and cultural features, and its rich history.
Johnson is hopeful that an influx of new volunteers will allow the park to maintain its breathtaking features, including its impressive collection of trees and shrubs, its diverse terrains of glades, dells and vistas, and its serene ponds and pools with extensive stonework, all anchored by the picturesque Dominion Brook.
Anyone interested in volunteering at Dominion Brook Park is encouraged to contact the society via email at contactus@dominionbrookpark.ca.
