Another successful Salt Spring land purchase campaign was celebrated on March 5, with Islanders Working Against Violence (IWAV) thanking community partners and donors for their support.
IWAV’s $2.85-million purchase of 210 Norton Road is once again a testament to the impressive human and financial resources that are ignited on the island when the community believes in a vital project.
Recent Salt Spring Film Festival attendees were reminded of one almost-unbelievable effort from 25 years ago with the showing of the late Mort Ransen’s Ah . . . the Money, the Money, the Money — the Battle for Salt Spring film. It documented the wild journey that prevented clear-cutting of Burgoyne Valley lands and led to creation of Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park. In recent years we’ve seen donor-supported purchases of a Creekside Rainforest parcel, Mount Maxwell Community Park, 400 acres at Reginald Hill, and parcels for the Quw’utsun at Xwaaqw’um and the SȾÁUTW̱ in the south end. It really does seem where there’s a will there a way when it comes to securing land for reasons that benefit the community at large.
But in many cases, raising the money for a purchase is the easy part. Developing management plans, programs or amenities can be the more challenging next step, and building housing certainly tops that list. Fortunately, with zoning for 26 affordable housing units already in place on the land — thanks to Herculean efforts of past property owners Norm and Diane Elliott some 20 years ago — IWAV has a significant advantage. A newly created housing development committee will explore a range of options and funding possibilities in coming months.
At last Thursday’s event, Salt Spring Island Foundation chair Walter Stewart praised IWAV for making “real, tangible differences” to islanders’ quality of life, referring also to people beyond those who benefit directly from IWAV’s transition house, second-stage housing, Croftonbrook affordable housing complex and many other services.
More funds will inevitably be needed to create homes for islanders at Norton Road, so donors will have further opportunities to be part of the difference-making team. In the meantime, a community raffle to top up IWAV coffers is currently underway, with tickets available at Transitions Thrift Store.