story and photos by Scottee Giles –
Ten acres of beautiful woodland trails hidden deep in a ravine is a wonderful surprise to find in the middle of a quiet neighbourhood. Doumac Park in the northern part of Cordova Bay features Revans Creek flowing through banks densely lined with ferns, mosses, mahonia and snowberry.
We entered the park from Doumac Avenue, equipped with hiking boots and travel mugs full of warm chai. Fall colours of maple and alder leaves carpeted the forest floor, welcoming us for a family nature walk on a cloudy day. Looking way up at the sky from the base of the gorge, the trees seemed taller than usual.
The park has 1.5 km of trails over mixed terrain, flat or gradually sloping in some places while quickly gaining 50 metres of elevation in others. The Piedmont Gardens access is via a very steep wooden staircase.
Doumac Park, located on the traditional territory of the WSÁNEĆ̱ people not far from the ȾEL¸IȽĆ historical ancestral village site, was named in the early 1900s for Fred Dougall and George McMorran, business partners who were known by the composite moniker.
Often quiet year-round, we passed only a few other neighbourhood dog walkers and joggers in the park. The hushed stillness of the forest and peaceful sound of the stream made us feel far from the suburbs. We spent an hour exploring, discovering some interesting turkey tail mushrooms, wild geranium holding on to late blooms, and new swordtail fronds unfurling out of season. The glossy black feathers of a raven were barely visible from the branches of a cedar where it sat watching us. Signs requesting visitors stay on trails indicated that park restoration efforts were underway. Volunteers partner with Saanich Parks in their Pulling Together program that runs at more than 40 different parks, helping remove 50 tonnes of invasive species every year.
Things to Note
- There is public access to the park from several locations including Doumac Avenue (just off Lochside), Cambria Wood Terrace, and Piedmont Gardens
- Parts of the trail network involve navigating steep stairs
- Limited street parking is available
- Remember to respect surrounding private properties
- There are no washroom facilities
- Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash
- To find out how to help restoration efforts check out www.saanich.ca/parks and look under Park Stewardship and Natural Areas for volunteer opportunities
