The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Victoria says subdividing their Metchosin property will allow the organization to better meet community needs in the future.
The club received backlash from the Mayor of Metchosin and various community groups after it applied to the district to subdivide its 98-acre property.
“This has been a considered decision. Thousands of young people have enjoyed life-changing experiences at this property,” said Rebecca Lang, president of the Boys and Girls of Greater Victoria Foundation which owns the property. “By selling a portion of our property, we can remain responsive and adaptive to these changing priorities across our communities.”
The proposed plan is to subdivide their property and sell off 40 acres of their lot and keep the remaining 58.
The Boys and Girls Club says the nearly 100-acre property which includes a pond, Garry Oak forests, trails and agricultural land was purchased in 2004 at market value when the youth justice needs required more wilderness programs and nature programming.
Now, the club says due to changes in young offender laws and an evolution in youth requirements, the community now has different needs.
“Today, responses to community needs are considerably more complex than they once were. Although quality out-of-school programming, summer camps and youth outreach remain essential for the Boys and Girls Club, the organization is increasingly stepping in to offer new programs and supports to address some of the greatest challenges facing children, youth and families including homelessness prevention, mental health support and substance use services,” said the club in a statement on Thursday.
Dalyce Dixon, the executive director of the club says the organization doesn’t need the extra funds right now, this is a financial move to be able to provide more services for children and families in the future, all over Greater Victoria.
Mayor John Ranns says he felt “betrayed” by the move, stating the club has been given more than $300,000 in tax breaks over the past decade based on the premise that it needed the entire 98-acres to serve the community.
“Those types of properties available for those types of uses are so rare in this region that it’s not just a Metchosin concern, it should be a regional concern. It’s a beautiful piece of land,” Ranns had previously told CHEK News.
He says he didn’t know about the subdivision application when the club had applied and been granted the tax break for 2021.
The application process to subdivide began in early 2020, says Dixon. Council was first informed in September of 2020, but she says Ranns knew about the plans long before the fall.
“We brought the information to Mayor Ranns and district staff quite some time ago, and again in September, so we were somewhat perplexed by his confusion, his betrayal,” said Dixon.
Community groups, including the Association for the Preservation of Rural Metchosin (APRM), are upset with the decision, saying the 40 acres the club plans to subdivide is rare, untouched land.
Jay Shukin, the presidents of APRM, says he understands the club owns the land and has every right to do what it wants with it, but wishes there was more community engagement before the application was made.
The executive director of the club says community engagement wasn’t needed as the land is private property.
“The boys and girls club owns the property and recognizes they have the ultimate decision about how best to utilize their assets and resources and believe we are doing the best for the community in the long run, our interest is in continuing to enhance our services,” Dixon told CHEK News.
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The plan is to subdivide, not develop. The club says they aren’t dividing the property portions for housing; they’re dividing the portions for sale, and anyone is free to purchase them.
“The opportunity for the purchase of that land can go beyond the thinking of housing. Folks such as the Land Conservancy, the community groups of interest that want to preserve the land in its current state, would be welcome to consider the acquisition of that property, we certainly don’t have an agenda that its actually for housing,” confirmed Dixon.
While many worry this could have a significant impact on the programs offered on the property, including the mayor, the club says most of the infrastructure used for the programs are to remain.
“As a responsible non-profit organization, our intention is to closely monitor our usage and costs while continuing to offer programming in Metchosin on our remaining land,” Lang said. “We hope people will look at our long track record of serving the community and see that we are, as always, putting the needs of the region’s young people first.”
And while the mayor doesn’t seem happy about the decision, the Boys and Girls Club continues to hope its application to subdivide the property will be endorsed by Metchosin Council.
Rebecca Lawrence
