MWPS TIMELINE
(From minutes, letters, news clippings, legal documents)
APRIL, 1993
Noort Developments buys property and obtains an option to purchase a portion of Newson property which is imperative for his development plans. Releases plan to obtain rezoning for 140 duplexes.
DEC. 23, 1993
MWPS Incorporated Number S-31412 Pattie Baker filed papers using Constitution of Comox Hill which was supplied by Don Burns.
First Board Directors: Carol Neufeld, Fran Johnson, Pattie Baker, Paul Lachapelle, Don Burns, Dorothy Jones.
Mailing address of Society is Baker’s 138 Croteau Rd.
MARCH 22, 1994
MWPS given Charitable Tax Status Official Registration Number 0985440-56 Donations start to come in. Pattie Baker is Treasurer.
MARCH 23, 1994
Noort Developments hosts public information meeting: Rezoning for “high density development” of 140 duplexes.
APRIL, 1994
Emergency MWPS mid-day meeting at Bakers: Fran, Carol, Pattie, Peter, Bob Stiven. We have discovered Noort’s option on Newson piece has expired, without it Noort cannot proceed. “Should we pick up the option? Should we make an offer? We don’t have the money for it.” “You can’t not do it. It has to be done” Bob Stiven.
Meetings with Ted : he’s in!
MAY 24, 1994
PUBLIC HEARING by Noort and Town of Comox tonight at 7:00 pm to present his disastrous plans for the Woods. George Newson agrees to our proposal of $35,000 down on property that Noort had an option on. He says Kella is not sleeping nights. His kids are upset. Ted, Fran, Pattie, Peter and Carol are waiting for approval as Public Heating is getting underway.
**SUCCESS**
Public Hearing shut down when Town of Comox announced Noort no longer has ability to present as he doesn’t own the property.
**BEDLAM** Noort boys storm out, not knowing what hit them. The contract with Newson: MWPS agreed to purchase 5 acres of Newson property (the same option Noort had) with a $35,000 down payment. Total price of $400,000 with 10 yrs to pay off balance.
Their 140 duplex plan out the window.
JUNE 13, 1994
Alicia Burns, Mayor, writes proposing property exchange to Noort.
JUNE 14, 1994
Town of Comox sends Letter of Support to MWPS.
JUNE ,JULY, 1994
Letter of support arrives from the City of Courtenay
JUNE 22, 1994
MWPS OPEN HOUSE at United Church Comox to present plans. Noort Developments now presenting plans for 34 single residential units, including lots on the waterfront. Realtors are walking through showing the proposed lots to potential buyers.
How to proceed?
MWPS, working with Margaret Lord, Barbara Price presents a plan for a joint purchase of property:
1/3 from Town of Comox
1/3 from Province of BC
1/3 from Regional District
Noort appears interested in selling?
SEPTEMBER 19, 1994
Town of Comox gives preliminary approval for 34 single family units with zoning remaining R1.
NOVEMBER, 1994
Arch. Branch does study. Prepared to go in for 3 days. Come out after hours and say there is no way this midden can be disturbed. It is one of the last protected middens on the coast. Ministry of Environment does study and releases results “sensitive ecosystem” and a “scarce salt marsh” that needs protection as most salt marshes are already lost. We have full support of Environment Canada. (Nov. 7, 94 letter)
More letters of support:
Margaret Lord MLA
Comox Indian Band
Regional District
School District 71
Moe Sihota, Minister of Environments who accompanies Peter, Margaret Lord and Barbara Price for a walk in the woods.
Comox Strathcona Natural History Society
MWPS continues fund raising.
DECEMBER 19, 1994
Noort starts to cut trees. Rainy and windy – chainsaws start. Carol Neufeld, Fran Johnson and Ruth Masters are there and refused to leave. Chainsaws stopped, RCMP arrive. Noort goes to RCMP Station to make a report, more people arrive at the Woods. Noort and his boys return 600’ of snow fence has been cut and destroyed. Many people are now present in the woods. They can’t cut anymore trees.
DECEMBER 20, 1994 The property is encircled with vehicles. People drop off keys to Baker home – many are unknown to Bakers!
DECEMBER 22, 1994
Fran Johnson, Carol Neufeld, Ruth Masters and Pattie Baker for MWPS are sued by Noort.
JANUARY 3, 1995
Property appraised at $1.5 million by Bill Jackson
JANUARY 17, 1995
New MWPS Board:
Paul Lachapelle President, Sandy Masterton Vice, Pattie Baker Treasurer. Fran Johnson Secretary, Anne Gardner. Peter Baker, Judy Wilson, Carol Neufeld
JANUARY, 1995
Province of BC, Town of Comox, Regional District with MWPS as advisory group work together to raise funds for purchase of Woods from Noort.
MARCH 7, 1995
Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce gives MWPS President’s Merit Award. Accepted by MWPS President Paul Lachapelle.
MARCH, 1995
Coulson of Crown Isle delivers a writ to all directors of Regional District if they proceed with MW purchase. He will sue them individually if they complete the purchase. He threatens MWPS as well. The Regional District folds, MWPS does not.
MARCH 31, 1995
Province of BC, Margaret Lord announces with outrage deal has fallen apart. Anne Gardener steps forward and says we can step up and raise the amount needed to replace Regional Districts obligation.
Noort is chomping at the bit to get this done.
APRIL 21, 1995
Province of BC Margaret Lord MLA asks Moe Sihota to come back to table and put the funds up. Moe Sihota responds the Province will participate in the purchase.
AUGUST 22, 1995
Ted Holekamp representing MWPS makes formal offer to Noort for $1,675,000.00. A joint offer from Comox, Regional, BC, MWPS. NEW WRINKLE Regional District getting calls for referendum. Big push by NO side re: tax increase. Developers pushing hard. Bakers maintain society address and phone number and getting threatening phone calls and trucks in drive at night flashing bright lights on house. RCMP have to be called.
JANUARY 26, 1996
Comox Indian Band Chief Norman Frank’s letter to the editor 
JANUARY 27, 1996
Referendum Day – The answer to funding is NO. Back to the drawing table. MWPS decided to pick up the Regional District’s part and raise $500,000. Sandy Masterton is working .with Hugh Noort to negotiate a contract. We have a SIGNED CONTRACT with Noort and will close April 30, 1996. $1.6 MILLION.
MARCH 26, 2015
MWPS AGM Major fund raising – raising private donations. Membership is swelling. We need 200 people to (“Friends”) contribute $20 a month until paid for. We have 63. Deal with Noort set to close April 30, 1996. We need $$.
New Board Elected: Anne Gardner, President; Sandy Masterton, Vice, Pattie Baker, Treasurer; Diane Maxted, Secretary; Peter Baker, Membership; Fran Johnson, Lorraine Aitken, Lesley Henderson, Paul Lachapelle, Wayne Maxted, David McSween, Carol Neufeld, Patricia Smith, Judy Wilson.
APRIL, 1996
We’re in trouble – we need $$ to pay our portion. With donations and “Friends” donating we are still short. Many of us are to put mortgages on our homes and MWPS will pay those mortgages off. Sandy, Peter and Pattie go to Credit Union and meet with Simon. He agrees and Credit Union gives individuals mortgages with funds going to MWPS!
APRIL 29, 1996
For release on April 30, 1996 Province of BC News Release confirms 3 way successful purchase of Macdonald Woods.
Province of BC $520,000
Town of Comox $500,000
MWPS $580,000 + $48,000GST = $628,000
MWPS Deposit to Newson $35,000
Original cheque presented $580,000 presented to Ted in his office by Pattie and Fran. I have a picture of it. $48,000 was requested later for GST due. We had to scramble to collect it. I tried to convince Revenue Canada not to implement this tax but had no success. We were not able to claim it as a refund.
WE ARE ADVISED that the NDP government went down just days before and the last piece of business that went through was the contribution to Macdonald Woods. Moe Sihota walked it through to get it done. SO MANY PLAYERS TO THANK For MWPS it isn’t done – – and still isn’t. There is a huge debt load that now needs to be covered.
March 2 2016
GOOD NEWS FOR MACDONALD WOOD
At its meeting of Tuesday 1 March, the Comox Valley Sewage Commission decided to suspend its planning for a major pumping station and sewer forcemains on the Croteau Road beach access to Macdonald Wood Park in Comox.
Because of the efforts of the growing coalition of people working to protect the park, the right-of-way trail will remain as the public entrance to the park’s foreshore and Rotary boardwalk. The alder wetland and salt marsh – documented by Environment Canada as a valuable and now-rare habitat on Comox Bay – will not be affected by excavation. One of the largest intact sections of ancient midden on the bay will be left undisturbed. Large second-growth trees will remain standing on the beach right-of-way and along the park’s Sunrise Trail adjacent to Croteau Road.
MWPS president emeritus Fran Johnson welcomed the news, saying “It’s wonderful! Thanks go to everyone working and caring for Macdonald Wood.”
The lack of public support for the sewage proposal played a large role in the commission’s decision. As of last week, at least 700 letters and emails had been sent to the local office of the Ministry of Transportation, calling on the province to retain the public right-of-way at Croteau Road. New technical reports, formally received by the commission on Tuesday, make it clear that excavation, construction, and operation on the restricted and sensitive site would be problematic.
The board of directors of Macdonald Wood Park Society recognizes the ongoing commitment of its 600 members and many supporters to protect the ten acres of older second-growth forest, enjoyed by so many valley residents and visitors. The park property was purchased by MWPS, the Town of Comox, and the province, after a long and determined effort, and became a town park in 1996.
Celebrating its twentieth anniversary as a public park, Macdonald Wood has once again been protected and will continue as a peaceful refuge.
Reports, studies, submissions, etc. over several early years can be seen here:
Comox Valley Regional district Agenda Minutes
January 2019
Now we are debt free and hope to stay that way. We are owners and custodians of another property: Fran Johnsons Wildlife Sanctuary, not far from Macdonald Wood. We are working to manage the invasive plants and ensure the covenants are honoured.