Hollywood Park

Hollywood Park is beautifully landscaped Garry oak (Quercus garryana) treed parkland covering two and a third hectares in the Fairfield community of Victoria, BC. Stroll along the perimeter of park to take in the flower beds and trees, like the golden plumed cedar ‘Aurea’ (Cedrus deodara), rhododendrons and azaleas. In a few sections of the park the flower beds are bordered by a split cedar fence and a narrow pathway. Stroll along the paved pathway to reach the playground, ball diamond or tennis courts. This one hundred and sixty meter walkway connects Earle Street with Fairfield Road; neither end is gated. Close to the Earle Street border of the park is the playground with a sand base. There are slides for young and old children that are part of a climbing structure with platforms that have monkey bars and ladders. There are two swing sets with a couple for toddler seats in one set. The other has four swings. The playground is shaded early mornings and later afternoons by the tall Garry oak and London plane trees. The baseball diamond is home to the Beacon Hill Little League ball players and has bleachers, score board and seasonal concession. Fairfield shopping plaza is about a block west along Fairfield Road if other sustenance is needed. Part of the ball field forms the pitch for soccer. There is a second much smaller grassy area, with a chain-link fenced backstop across from the playground. Picnic tables and benches are found along the pathway and near the playground and sport fields. The toilets are near the tennis courts. The two tennis courts are fenced and lie close to Fairfield Road. The area of Hollywood Park is within the hidden East Creek drainage area and is occasionally quite wet.

Geographic coordinates N48° 24′ 51” W123° 20′ 8″

Hollywood Park can be reached from Blanchard Street. Turn east onto Fairfield Road and follow along to St Charles Street. Once past St Charles look for Hollywood Park to the left. The park lies along Fairfield Road and Earle Street where there is limited roadside parking. City buses travel along Fairfield Road from downtown.

 

Pemberton Park, Victoria, BC

At just over two hectares, Pemberton Park has a bit for everyone: forest trails, playground, baseball diamond with large backstop and bleachers as well as toilets. The southeastern side of the park has pathway through the Douglas fir, big leaf maples and horse chestnut trees. There are several berry bushes including a few blackberries, snow berries and salmon berries. The large grassy field is use by the Bays United Football Club and Beacon Hill Little League Baseball; check their websites to find out when games are hosted at the park. The playground has double sets of toddler and child swings. Set in the sand base is a wooden climbing structure with a curly slide and monkey bars. This park is popular with families, dog walkers, hikers and sport supporters. This park is currently an off leash park for dog. The park was named for the civil engineer and surveyor JD Pemberton of the mid eighteen-fifties. He held title to land that included nearly all of Oak Bay and much of Fernwood. Pemberton Park is close to Glenlyon Norfolk School Green Space, Wilmer Green and Maddison Green. The Chandler Gonzales Pathway, across Gonzales Road, leads south toward Ecole Margaret Jenkins Elementary Green Space. A few blocks further are Gonzales Beach and Gonzales Hill Regional Park. This is a wonderful place to explore in your backyard.

Geographic coordinates N48° 25′ 7” W123° 19′ 44″

Pemberton Park can be reached from Blanchard Street. Turn east onto Fairfield Road and follow along to Richmond Road. Turn left onto Richmond Road then right onto Richardson Street. The park is on the junction of Richardson and Gonzales Avenue. There is limited roadside parking. City buses travel along Fairfield Road between downtown and the University of Victoria.

Hillside Park, Victoria, BC

This post is updated here.

Hillside Park