In 2010, the Capital Regional District, with help from the Land Conservancy of BC and individual donors, purchased a parcel of land from Western Forest Products in the Jordan River area creating the Jordan River Regional Park Reserve. Improvements to the trail and parking area have commenced and more land will be acquired in 2013.
Park boundaries are still being established, as some of the lands that have been purchased may not be included in the new park. The CRD is working to ensure that First Nation interests, the Juan de Fuca land use bylaw and the Shirley/Jordan River Official Community Plan are considered when boundaries are drawn.
The lands acquired for the park have long been popular with locals and visitors; Sandcut Beach is a long cobbled beach accessed via a wooded trail, boardwalk and finally down a staircase. There are currently no facilities at this park reserve, but a park management process is due to commence in 2013.
The Jordan River Regional Park Reserve offers a superb opportunity for both recreational use and conservation. It’s good to see this area which has a long tradition as an unofficial ‘park’ will be protected and managed within our regional park system.
How to Get to Jordan River Regional Park Reserve
Take the Trans-Canada Highway from Victoria and take exit#10 (Hwy 14) towards Jordan River. The Sandcut Beach parking area is about 4kms shy of the town, so if you reach Jordan River, you’ve gone too far. It takes around 1.5 hours to get there from Victoria, just right for a day trip! The Jordan River Regional Park Reserve is open sunrise to sunset, every day.
