Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association

Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association

Connecting neighbours and building a vibrant community

Parks

Thwack! Pickleball!

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It seems that pickleball is sweeping the country. So, are you wondering what this incredibly popular sport is all about?

 
Pickleball is a fun, fast-paced paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. It’s played with a solid paddle and a lightweight plastic ball with holes.
 
Pickleball players can compete in singles or doubles on a court the size of a badminton court with a slightly lower net.
 
Pickleball is easy to learn and suitable for players of all ages and skill levels. To get started, you only need to know a few basic rules.
 
Interestingly, pickleball was invented in 1965 as a children’s backyard game in the US quite nearby on Bainbridge Island in Washington State.
 
If you’re already besotted with pickleball – and so many are – find where there are courts in Saanich at https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/parks-recreation-community/parks/parks-trails-amenities/amenities/tennis-courts.html
 
If you’re game to try your hand at pickleball, the Fall 2026 Saanich Activity Guide is offering plenty of opportunities to learn and gain experience. You can find the Guide at https://secure.viewer.zmags.com/publication/4733a9ec#/4733a9ec/100

Beach Advisories – Check Before You Go

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Several beaches are currently not recommended for recreational water use, such as swimming.

Beach advisories are recommended by Island Health where there is indication of elevated bacterial levels in the water or other potential contaminants that increases the risk of illness to the public.

Island Health works with local government and agencies to ensure a warning sign is posted to advise the public when the water may be unsafe. While public beaches are not technically ‘closed’ to public access, it is highly recommended to not enter the water while an advisory is in place.

The following beaches are under this Advisory:
🏖️ Beaver Lake
🏖️ Cordova Bay Agate Park Beach
🏖️ Cadboro Gyro Park Beach
🏖️ Gonzales Bay Beach
🏖️ Langford Lake Leigh Road
🏖️ Thetis Lake Beach
🏖️ Ross Bay Beach

Find the most up-to-date information on beach advisories on the VIHA website here

Campfire Bans – Check Before you Go

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If you have camping plans this long weekend, the BC Conservation Officer Service wants to remind you that most fires are off limits in many areas of BC – including on the Island.

Not only is it respectful to protect our great outdoor areas – fines for violating a campfire ban start at $1,150.

Find out more about what restrictions are in place at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/…/pre…/fire-bans-and-restrictions

Alert: Blue-Green Algae Warning

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Blue-green algae advisory warning issued by the CRD for:

 
🟢 Beaver Lake
 
🟢 Prior Lake
 
🟢 Thetis Lake (main bead at Lower Thetis)
 
So, if you’re planning on walking the trails with your dog or heading for a quick dip – please be aware.
 
Blue-green algae produces cyanotoxins. Visitors are advised to avoid contact with the algae and to keep animals on a leash to prevent them from drinking or swimming in the lake until the advisory has been lifted.
 
The algae usually produce a visible blue-green sheen, which appears as surface scum on the water. Not all blooms are easy to see, and toxins can still be present in the water even if you cannot see a bloom. Blooms are unpredictable and may occur at any time.
 
Check the following page for updates and what to do if you think you, your family or your dog has been exposed (ingesting the toxin can lead to lethal liver damage in dogs) and some really unpleasant symptoms for people.
 

Music in the Park @ Rutledge Park – August 18, 2026

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Music in the Park is back at Rutledge Park.  This not to be missed, FREE event is open to everyone!

Our community association founded Music in the Park in Saanich.  Founding visionary Margaret Bachmann wanted to bring the joy of live music to our community and set about making it happen.

We are profoundly grateful for the support that we get from Saanich Parks & Recreation, the Saanich Police, donors, volunteers and especially attendees.

Come early to pick out the best spot for you and your family.  Maybe check out the splash pad while you’re here.

Dogs on leash are welcome, though, they may get a bit spooked as we expect well over 1,200 people to be in attendance.

Date: August 18, 2026
Time: 6pm to 8pm

Where: Rutledge Park (Inverness and Cloverdale)

Music by Late Shift

More info here

Accessibility in CRD Parks

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The weather has truly moved towards nicer days and many of us will be looking to get out into nature and visit one of the great CRD parks on the lower Island.
 
The Capital Regional District has increasingly been opening up parks and trails to be more accessible for people of all abilities.
 

Volunteer for Saanich’s Pulling Together Program

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Have you heard of Saanich’s Pulling Together Program?
 
The Pulling Together program brings together residents interested in helping natural areas by removing invasive plants, restoring natural areas and enhancing local biodiversity.
 
Work parties give you a chance to be outdoors with like minded people to restore diverse habitats on rocky outcrops, creek side forests, wetlands, wildflower meadows, Garry Oak meadows and waterways.
 
This hands-on, inclusive ecological restoration program is a collaboration between the municipality and the community to ensure the sustainability and well-being in the present and for future generations.
 

Mother’s Day Concert in Playfair Park

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Celebrate Mothers’ Day in Beautiful Playfair Park with a concert by the Reynolds School Bands!

Celebrate this Mothers’ Day in beautiful Playfair Park.
 
The rhodos and so many wildflowers will be in bloom, the playground will be bustling, and music from the Reynold’s Alumni Band, Senior Band, and Jazz Band will be filling the air.
 
Bring yourself, your family, some folding chairs / blankets and settle in for a delightful concert on a late Spring afternoon.
 
Date: Sunday, May 10, 2026
Time: 2pm to 4pm
Venue: Playfair Park (entrances on Rock Street and Cumberland Avenue)
 
Parking is limited, so consider coming by bus or bike. The Quadra #6 bus rolls a half block away from the Rock Street parking area.
 

There are accessible washrooms near the playground.

For more information, see https://qchca.org/event/mothers-day-concert-in-playfair-park-2/

Panama Flats – Bird & Nature Sanctuary

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During the Committee of the Whole meeting on January 12, 2026 – Saanich Council voted to establish Panama Flats as a bird and nature sanctuary.

To better steward this decision, Council is looking to revise its Animals Bylaw to prohibit dogs in most of the park, other than some on-leash-only trails. There would also be at least one designated leash-optional enclosure on the north side of the park and possibly another at the south end.

This is a change from the original plan that residents provided feedback on – to have an off-leash trail along the Colquitz River. Councillors speaking on this issue say on-leash requirements align better with the bird sanctuary designation and could be a lower-cost solution to protecting sensitive wildlife areas in the Flats.

Councillor Harper said a clear rule for the park will allow people to abide by the rule – something that Councillor Teale Phelps-Bondaroff said can be tricky when leash rules vary on different trails, such as in PKOLS.
 
Phelps-Bondaroff said he visited PKOLS prior to the issue being discussed at the Council table and noticed people weren’t following the leash requirements in areas where trails transitioned from off-leash to on-leash, saying “the reason was because it was unclear.”
 
If you’d like to provide feedback to Mayor and Council, you can send an email to council@saanich.ca
 
Information courtesy of Capital Daily.

Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association