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FAQ's - About Moorecoft Park

Where is Moorecroft Regional Park?

Moorecroft Regional Park is located in Nanoose Bay south of Dorcas Point off of Stewart Road. Access to Stewart Road is off of Northwest Bay Road.

When did the Regional District of Nanaimo acquire the Moorecroft Regional Park property?

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), purchased the 85 acre Moorecroft property on March 2, 2011 from the British Columbia Conference of the United Church of Canada.

What are the features of Moorecroft Regional Park?

This 85-acre oceanfront park has close to 2,900 feet of waterfront. There are approximately 79 acres of natural forest, including Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, Arbutus, Bigleaf Maple, Red Alder and Garry Oak. The trees range in age, with the old coniferous species ranging from 60 to 120 years old.

Two intermittent creeks run through the property, and two eagle nesting sites have been identified. As a condition of sale by the BC Conference of the United Church, a Conservation Covenant was assigned to the site and is held by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).

While most of the structures were assessed to be unsafe and are planned for removal, some of the original structures to be retained include a caretaker's house, Kennedy Lodge (gathering and recreation area), the Boat House, and Ms. Moore's cabin. The property also includes a trail network and an open field called the Meadow.

What is the purpose of the Conservation Covenant?

The conservation covenant protects over 90 per cent of the land base, helping to conserve the ecological values of Moorecroft Regional Park in perpetuity, and allowing the land to be subject to natural ecological processes over time. A synopsis of the park's ecological profile produced by the NCC shows that the majority of its forested lands and wetlands are listed as endangered or vulnerable, and measures need to be taken to reduce human disturbance to these areas as well measures to protect and allow natural processes to prevail.

What was the Moorecroft property used for prior to being acquired by the Regional District of Nanaimo?

When first developed in 1934, Gertrude Moore operated the property as an all-girls camp. In 1955 the United Church of Canada bought the property and "Camp Moorecroft" ran first as a summer camp, then as a year-round camp for retreats, school and community groups.

Is Moorecroft Regional Park important in the protection of sensitive habitats and important ecosystems in the Regional District?

The Moorecroft property was identified as a priority site for acquisition in the RDN's Regional Park and Trails System Plan due to the site's rare conservation and recreational value. Moorecroft Regional Park is an ecologically significant park and falls within the Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone. Increasing the protection of the Coastal Douglas-fir zone is a provincial priority, as 93% of this zone is privately owned.

Of the park's 8 identified ecological units, 6 have been provincially "red listed" indicating that the majority of the park's ecosystems are provincially endangered or threatened. The park provides habitat for many sensitive species including the Northern Red Legged Frog, Western Painted Turtle, Steller Sea Lion and Great Blue Heron. Moorecroft Regional Park also protects several known wildlife trees that have been identified by the Wildlife Tree Stewardship Initiative.

What are the recreation opportunities at Moorecroft Regional Park?

The park is a very beautiful natural setting and is popular for many active and passive outdoor recreational activities ranging from walking, nature appreciation and art to paddling, hiking, and scuba diving.

How much did it cost to acquire Moorecroft Regional Park?

$4.8 million - Purchase Price $7.95 Million - List price for property in September 2010 Moorecroft Regional Park was purchased by the RDN on March 2, 2011 from the BC Conference of the United Church of Canada for $4.8 million dollars through a combination of short-term borrowing and reserves and through $116,000 fundraised by The Nature Trust of BC and $40,000 raised locally by the Nanaimo Area Land Trust.

How will the proceeds of the sale be used?

The sale of Moorecroft Camp is part of the "Camp Future Project" of BC Conference of The United Church of Canada. The multi-year project will ensure that BC Conference has a high quality, sustainable camping ministry well into the future. The Camp Future Project supports a regional model for camping, allowing a smaller number of camps, operating under the auspices of the BC Conference, to provide high quality camping to an increased number of children.

The Conference's Camping Ministry will receive significant and ongoing support and resources to contribute to its sustainability. The resources needed to improve and sustain regional camps are coming, originally, from the proceeds from the sale of other camp properties like Camp Moorecroft (Camp Kwomais was sold to the City of Surrey in 2007). The direct proceeds from this sale are going directly into the ongoing development of BC Conference's new camping ministry, including large capital development projects at both Camp Pringle (Shawnigan Lake, Vancouver Island) and Camp Fircom (Gambier Island, Lower Mainland). Proceeds from the sale of Moorecroft Camp will contribute to the ongoing sustainability of the Conference's Camping Ministry.

How will Moorecroft Regional Park be managed?

The 2012-2022 Moorecroft Regional Park Management Plan will guide the development and management of the park's ecological and recreational values over the next ten years.

Additional Information on RDN Regional Parks and Trails

The Regional District of Nanaimo has a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities for residents and visitors alike in our Regional Parks and Trails System, ranging from hiking on a mountain trail to camping on the oceanfront or a lakefront. With the addition of Moorecroft Regional Park, the system now has 12 regional parks totaling over 2060 hectares of land and over 60 km of regional trail. Regional Parks and Trails are funded by the four municipalities in the RDN (City of Nanaimo, District of Lantzville, City of Parksville and Town of Qualicum Beach) as well as all seven electoral areas.

RDN Regional Parks

Beachcomber, Benson Creek Falls, Coats Marsh, Descanso Bay, Englishman River, Little Qualicum River, Little Qualicum River Estuary Conservation Area, Nanaimo River, Moorecroft Mount Arrowsmith Massif, Mount Benson, Horne Lake RDN Regional Trails: Arrowsmith CPR, Big Qualicum, Lighthouse Country, Morden Colliery, Parksville-Qualicum Links, Trans Canada Trail.

Additional Information on The Nature Conservancy of Canada

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada's leading national land conservation organization. NCC is a private, non-profit group that partners with corporate and individual landowners to achieve the direct protection of the most important natural treasures through property securement (donation, purchase, conservation agreement and the relinquishment of other legal interests in land) and long-term stewardship of portfolio of properties. Since 1962, NCC and partners have helped to conserve more than 2 million acres (over 800,000 hectares) of ecologically significant land nationwide.

Additional Information on The Nature Trust of British Columbia

The Nature Trust of British Columbia is a leading land conservation organization that has invested more than $70 million to secure over 61,000 hectares of critical habitat in BC since 1971. As a non-profit, the organization relies on funding from local communities including individuals, corporations, foundations and government.