Florence Lake Park North

A sixty meter long boardwalk is the focal point for Florence Lake Park North. This park is found in the Florence Lake neighborhood of Langford, B.C. Florence Lake is a shallow glacial kettle lake with a surface area of about eight hectares and average depth about two meters. There is one seasonal tributary, Florence Lake Creek North, providing water flow into the lake from the slopes of Skirt Mountain which lies to the northwest. Florence Lake Creek South drains from the south end of the lake and flows through a series of culverts, mostly under the Trans Canada Highway, until it reaches Mill Stream. The lake had been stocked with rainbow trout for several decades until the water quality was determined to limit fish survival. This park is marks the north eastern end of the walk along the shore of Florence Lake. Strachan Trail, along Florence Lake, is about a three kilometer return stroll over flat terrain. This is good place to enjoy the views the water fowl and flora on Southern Vancouver Island, B.C.

Geographic location N48° 27’41” W123°30’45”

Florence Lake Park North can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway also called Hwy1. Turn at McCallum Road/Spencer Road exit and continue along McCallum Road to reach Brock and Springboard roads. Follow the curve to the right to stay on McCallum Road and then take the curve to the left to turn onto Florence Lake Road. Stay on Florence Lake Road and look for a small parking area, on the left, past the junction with Setchfield Avenue. There are three parking sites at this park. City buses travel along Setchfield Avenue.

Setchfield Shaw Green Space

Setchfield Shaw Green Space is in the Florence Lake neighborhood of Langford, B.C. There is a seventy five meter long gravel pathway that connects Setchfield Avenue up to Shaw Avenue. This pathway is bordered by wood and rock fences of the neighboring properties and a few blackberry bushes as it zigzags up the slope. A few trees are found along this trail that is frequented by dog walkers, hikers and walkers. The exposed bedrock is mostly granite which has been altered to form small pocket for plants near the house at 955 Shaw Avenue. Shaw and Ironwood Park are to the west across Shaw Road where as Lakewood Elementary School Green Space, Camli Green Space, Setchfield Park and Lake Ida Ann Park are to the east from Setchfield Avenue.

Geographic location N48° 27’58” W123°30’30”

Setchfield Shaw Green Space can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway also called Hwy1. Turn at Millstream Road and turn left onto Treanor Avenue. Continue along Treanor to reach Setchfield Avenue. Turn left and look for the gravel trail on the right between 2342 and 2350. The trail leads to the driveway at 955 Shaw Avenue and onto the street. There is roadside parking along Setchfield Avenue near Lakewood Elementary School Green Space. City buses travel along Treanor and Setchfield avenues.

Lakewood Elementary School Green Space

Lakewood Elementary School is part the Sooke School District (number sixty two). The green space includes the large school yard with two large sports fields and several playground areas. The two hectare green space is in the Florence Lake neighborhood of Langford, B.C. The south playground is on a wood chip base with a curved slide with step ladder access and a separate climbing bar set. A few meters up the slope are six swings that are on a wood chip base. Further along the south side of the school grounds is a climbable rope web with an arc shaped. The east playground has two slides connected to climbing, swinging and sliding apparatus that are on raised platforms. The base is composed of wood chips. There are a couple of areas of the asphalt that are lined for basketball as well as hopscotch games. Fifty concrete steps, in four sets of seven and then pairs of two and three, lead up to the grass covered sports field that is surrounded by achain linked fence. The western side of the fence is lined with colorful hand painted wood cut in the shape of fish; this ‘stream of dreams’ was developed to increase awareness that all fish live in water and all that streams of water are where fish live. The closest waterway is Gardner Creek, a seasonal creek, which flows through Setchfield Park and Lake Ida Ann Park toward Mill Stream also known as Millstream Creek. An extensive garden bed lines the sport field along Setchfield Avenue. This green space is available outside of school hours and is a great site for a  parkour workouts. This is a great place to explore in your backyard. Camli Green Space, Lake Ida Ann Park, Ashley Green Space, Jamie Green Space, Setchfield Park, Shaw Park and Ironwood Park are nearby.

Geographic location N48° 27’56” W123°30’26”

Lakewood Elementary School Green Space can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway also called Hwy1. Turn at Millstream Road and continue to the log house pub to turn left onto Treanor Avenue. Look for the fire lane that connects to small parking area, at the back of the school, between houses 753 and 749. The main entrance and parking for the school is along Setchfield Avenue which is reached by continuing along Treanor Avenue and turning left onto Setchfield Avenue. There is road side parking along Setchfield Avenue. Buses travel along Treanor Ave and Setchfield Avenue.

Lake Ida Ann Park

Lake Ida Ann Park is in the Bear Mountain – Florence Lake neighborhood of Langford, B.C. This small manmade lake lies within the Gardner Creek drainage which is part of the Mill Stream watershed. The park is about a hectare in size with a gravel footpath along the shoreline. The four hundred meter pathway is partial forested with alder, ocean spray with small arbutus, willow, cedar and spruce trees. Along the trail, there are picturesque views of the two fountains used to aerating the shallow water. Several benches and picnic tables are found along the lake shore although this is not a lake for swimming as it rather shallow. A wooden pedestrian bridge passes over a seasonal creek near the trail to Jamie Place. The east end of the lake is dammed by concrete bags and a culvert to maintain the water level. This lake is stock annually with seventy-five trout by the government’s environment branch. The expectation is that the fish will be hooked by young novice fishers. Pathways from both Jamie Place and Ashley Place connect to the lake trail. A pleasant two kilometer stroll is around Lake Ida Ann to the trail through Ashley Green Space, north along Millstream Road to Sparrow Green Space and back along the streets in this quiet neighborhood to reach the trail at Jamie Place. Lakewood Elementary School Green Space, Setchfield Park and Camli Green Space are nearby.

Geographic location N48° 27’56” W123°30’17”

Ida Ann Park can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway also called Hwy1. Turn at Millstream Road and continue to the log house pub. Turn left onto Treanor Avenue and look to the right for the roadside parking area. Buses travel along Treanor Ave.

Ashley Green Space

Ashley Green Space is a gravel footpath in the Millstream – Florence Lake neighborhood of Langford, B.C. The one hundred and seventy meter long pathway connects Millstream Road to Ashley Place. The pathway borders on several residential homes. Himalayan blackberry bushes are abundant along the trail which is shaded by Douglas fir, cedar and arbutus trees. Gardner Creek flows from Lake Ida Ann along a portion of Ashley Green space. This creek connects with Mill Stream. A pleasant two kilometer stroll is from this green space, around Lake Ida Ann to the trail through Jamie Green Space, along the streets in this quiet neighborhood to Sparrow Green Space then south along Millstream Road to return to Ashley Place.

Geographic location N48° 27’57” W123°30’11”

Ashley Green Space can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway also called Hwy1. Turn at Millstream Road and look for the trail access between homes 2272 and 2276. There is no parking along Millstream Road. Alternatively, turn west onto Treanor Avenue then right onto Ashley Place and look for the trailhead between homes 222 and 213. There is limited roadside parking this area which is right beside Lake Ida Ann Park.

Gannet Court Green Space

This post is updated here.

Garnet Court Green Space

Setchfield Park

This post is updated here.

Setchfield Park