The City of Victoria has expanded the popular public dock in Banfield Park to give swimmers and paddlers improved recreational access to the Gorge Waterway. The project has tripled the previous amount of dock space with the addition of a new platform.
“The dock at Banfield Park is one of the most popular spots in Victoria to swim and paddle year-round,” said Derrick Newman, Acting Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities. “The expanded dock increases access to the Gorge Waterway and will give people more room to stay active and safely enjoy this special part of Victoria’s waterfront.”
The project extends the previous expanded dock, which was installed in 2022, with a new floating swim platform and adds more water safety features. The gangway connecting the dock to the shoreline has been replaced, improving access. Additional improvements include swim steps for easy access in and out of the water, a new children’s lifejacket loaner station and anchored buoys to mark the boundary of the recreational swimming area in Gorge Marine Park.
Through the federal permitting process, the project included a detailed review by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as well as Transport Canada.
In May 2023, Council directed staff to deliver the additional swimming infrastructure at the park. The project cost $300,000 and was funded through the Buildings and Infrastructure Reserve. The completed expansion aligns with Council’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan’s priority action item to increase water access to the Gorge.
Media Contact:
Colleen Mycroft
Manager, Intergovernmental and Media Relations
250.896.5325 | cmycroft@victoria.ca