Cuthbert Holmes Park in Saanich home to pathway and creek upgrades …

# Cuthbert Holmes Park (Saanich, BC): forests, river trails, and a surprisingly active urban wildlife corridor

Cuthbert Holmes Park is a District of Saanich “signature park” in the Tillicum area, described by Saanich as an “oasis in the city” that’s popular with bird watchers, nature lovers, and dog-walkers.

## Quick facts (from District of Saanich sources)

– Park name: Cuthbert Holmes Park
– Area: Tillicum
– Location reference (Saanich): Admirals Road
– Setting: Forests + the Colquitz River + trail network
– Size: Approx. 19.88 hectares
– On-site features noted by Saanich: interpretive signs, a fish counting fence, and two footbridges over the river
– Trail types (Saanich): paved (accessible) and “organic” trails

## Where it is and how it’s situated in the neighborhood

Saanich directs visitors to find Cuthbert Holmes Park behind G.R. Pearkes Recreation Centre and Tillicum Mall—a useful orientation detail because the park is close to major roads and commercial areas but quickly transitions into a wooded river corridor.

## What you’ll see on a walk: forests, the Colquitz River, and a bird-rich corridor

Saanich highlights the park’s forests, the Colquitz River, and “over 120 kinds of birds and seasonal river-dependent animals.”
The park’s official materials also emphasize that the river corridor supports a variety of wildlife and fish movement through an urban landscape.

### Wildlife you may encounter (as listed by Saanich)

Saanich provides a specific wildlife list for Cuthbert Holmes Park, including:
– Resident barred owls and Cooper’s hawks
– Great blue herons (nesting/feeding in the area)
– Pileated woodpeckers
– River otters and harbour seals
– Fish species noted by Saanich: coho and chum salmon, cutthroat trout

The park info sheet also lists animals such as owls, woodpeckers, herons, salmon, and otters as part of what lives in the park.

## The fish counting fence: a documented seasonal highlight

Saanich identifies a fish counting fence as a key feature and describes an annual spawning movement where fish travel up the Colquitz River from Portage Inlet. Saanich also states that volunteers with the Colquitz Salmonid Stewardship and Education Society record fish at the fence, and that the fence is located next to the Tillicum Mall parking lot.

## Great Blue Heron rookery history (and what that means today)

Saanich describes Cuthbert Holmes Park as a traditional nesting site (“rookery”) for great blue herons, stating it held the largest rookery on Vancouver Island in 2010, and that by 2011 the birds had stopped nesting there, with bald eagles identified as the cause. Saanich also notes that herons still feed and rest along the Colquitz River and that they expect a rookery may return someday.

Outdated-data flag: Those rookery details are explicitly tied to 2010–2011 conditions. The page itself indicates expectations rather than guarantees about the rookery’s return, so treat rookery status as time-sensitive and verify current conditions locally.

## Trail etiquette and dog rules (Saanich guidance)

Saanich’s on-page guidance and park sheet include clear direction on dogs and trail use:

– Dogs should be on leash at all times, unless you are in the designated leash-optional area; dogs must remain under control, and waste should be picked up and disposed of properly.
– Saanich asks visitors to stay on designated/formal trails to reduce impacts (including the spread of invasive plants).
– Saanich also instructs visitors to keep dogs (and people) out of the river to protect the natural environment.

## Colquitz River estuary sensitivity and the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Saanich warns against entering or boating on the Colquitz River estuary and river, describing fragile habitat features such as mudflats and eelgrass beds that provide nursery habitat for fish (including salmon), and noting the area’s importance to birds and other animals using the corridor.

Saanich also states that the estuary is part of the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary (VHMBS) and that specific rules and regulations apply, including some pertaining to dogs.

## Restoration and trail improvement work (documented by Saanich)

Saanich has also published details on trail relocation and Colquitz River improvements, describing multi-year work tied to the Cuthbert Holmes/Tillicum parks management plan. That work includes actions such as removing invasive English hawthorn, relocating trails to avoid seasonal flooding, establishing a native plant buffer, and in-stream work intended to support native fish and wildlife.