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Clover Point

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Coordinates: 48°24′18″N 123°21′0″W / 48.40500°N 123.35000°W / 48.40500; -123.35000
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A pedestrian view of Clover Point

Clover Point is a waterfront adjacent park in Victoria, British Columbia. The park contains 4 ha (10 acres) of land and faces the Strait of Juan de Fuca.[1]

Early history

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James Douglas named Clover Point after the red clover present in the landscape.[2] The specific species of clover present was likely Trifolium wormskioldii;[3] the plant's rhizomes were an important food source for Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Clover was often prepared with Pacific silverweed, dried out, and pit cooked. Exact practices for traditional preparation varied between particular Indigenous peoples.[4] It is disputed whether Douglas named the area when he disembarked from the Beaver or Cadboro.[5] Douglas wrote a letter to John McLoughlin describing Clover Point in 1842.[3]

Clover Point is referenced as a boundary marker in treaty negotiations between the Swengwhung people and the Hudson's Bay Company, with land east of the area being included as part of the treaty.[6] Douglas purchased land through a series of fourteen treaties while acting as an agent for the company. His intentions surrounding permanent ownership of the land may not have been fully understood. He asked those who signed to mark the paper with an X before receiving goods, which may have been misconstrued as a spiritual gesture.[7] He also did not take into account that various Indigenous peoples had overlapping shared use of certain areas.[8] Land within the James Bay Peninsula was purchased for 75 pounds sterling, which was a small portion of his total wealth.[6]

Later history

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Clover Point car loop before redesign
Redesigned version of the loop

The clover that was originally present in Clover Point was eradicated and replaced with non-native grass.[3] From 1900 to 1930, public access to Clover Point was prohibited. The military used it as the Clover Point Rifle Range. Access to Clover Point was restricted again during World War II.[2] Trench warfare practice was conducted elsewhere near the waterfront.[9] In 1988, the Department of Defence transferred ownership of the property to the city.[3]

Since the 1970s, an underground sewage pumping centre has existed at Clover Point.[10] In 2016, heavy rainfall caused the station's equipment to fail and release accidental discharge.[11] That same year, Clover Point was rejected as a location for an additional plant.[12] Before 2020, the station only screened sewage before dumping the untreated wastewater directly into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.[13] Mr. Floatie, a 2.1 metres (7 ft) environmental awareness mascot depicting fecal matter, was retired once sewage treatment was implemented.[14] A regional wastewater treatment plant opened at McLoughlin Point in December 2020 as part of a federal mandate;[15] the dispersal of untreated sewage had soured relations between British Columbia and neighboring Washington in the United States.[16]

In 2021, a redesign was planned by the city where half of the loop open to cars would be converted into a space for pedestrians. These proposed changes had an estimated cost of $275,000.[17] Similar changes were first proposed by a city councillor in 1992.[2] The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a delay in the redesign's implementation.[18] The planned redesign included public washrooms, increased picnic space, a drinking fountain, and reduced parking spaces from 90 to 17.[1] Painting and "pavement play" features on the pedestrian side of the park were rejected by the city council as an unnecessary expense.[19] The redesign was criticized for its approach to accessibility by community advocates.[20][21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Victoria city council to vote on makeover of coastline park". CBC News. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Ringuette, Janis (20 May 2020). "Comment: Clover Point has no clover and that's a problem". Times Colonist. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Ringuette, Janis. "Clover Point History 1842-2005". Friends of Beacon Hill Park. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Springbank Clover". UVic Map Shop. University of Victoria. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Clover Point". Colonial Dispatches. University of Victoria. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b Gee, Doreen. "A rich history behind our feet!". James Bay Beacon. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  7. ^ Petrescu, Sarah (19 February 2017). "Lost in translation: The Douglas treaties". Times Colonist. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  8. ^ Ringuette, Janis. "Beacon Hill Park History". Beacon Hill Park History. Archived from the original on 19 September 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  9. ^ Hook, Ryan (15 June 2021). "This iconic Clover Point Park capture merges a piece of the past with the present". Victoria Buzz. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  10. ^ Ebenal, Dan (22 March 2016). "Sewage in the CRD: Park would top underground plant at Clover Point". Oak Bay News. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  11. ^ Brend, Yvette. "Accidental flush of untreated Victoria B.C. sewage spews into ocean". CBC News. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  12. ^ Watson, Bridgette. "Clover Point ruled out for Victoria sewage plant". CBC News. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  13. ^ Kloster, Darron (13 March 2022). "The road to sewage treatment: A timeline". Times Colonist. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  14. ^ Meissner, Dirk. "Victoria no longer flushes raw sewage into ocean after area opens treatment plant". CBC News. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Long-awaited, long-debated new wastewater plant ends Victoria's dumping of untreated sewage". CBC News. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Victoria sewage fouls Washington-BC relationship". The Seattle Times. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Victoria approves closing half of Clover Point to cars". CTV News. 25 February 2021. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  18. ^ Helps, Lisa (3 August 2021). "Comment: Why the changes at Clover Point make sense". Times Colonist. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  19. ^ Descoteau, Don (26 February 2021). "Victoria council compromises with partial closure of Clover Point". VicNews. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  20. ^ Lawrence, Rebecca (26 February 2021). "Victoria City Council decides on plan for Clover Point". ChekNews. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  21. ^ Obee, Dave (30 July 2021). "Dave Obee: Clover Point redesign 'fixes' what wasn't broken". Times Colonist. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Clover Point Park (Victoria).

48°24′18″N 123°21′0″W / 48.40500°N 123.35000°W / 48.40500; -123.35000

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