Willows Beach is open to more users thanks to a combined effort between Oak Bay and two service clubs.
Coun. Esther Paterson, as acting mayor, thanked the Kiwains Club of Oak Bay and Rotary Club of Oak Bay during the official launch of a mat that now runs from Bowker Road to the shore.
“The Mobi-mat system provides accessible safe footing and rolling matting system to the beachfront at willows, to be enjoyed by all members of the community and visitors alike. We’re really delighted that this opens up the accessibility to all people who want to enjoy willows beach,” Paterson explained.
Kiwanis invested $8,000, with Rotary supporting with another $5,000.
The Kiwanis funding is a combination of president projects, explained president Leslie Johnson. Of the donation, $5,000 is her project funding as her term at the helm winds down this fall, while the rest comes from incoming president Dave Cockle’s project funding.
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“Kiwanis has been on the beach since 1949 and has been a big part of this beach. We call it home, and so from our perspective, this is a no-brainer for us to make this happen and work with Rotary,” Cockle said. The Kiwanis Tea Room has been serving up treats at Willows since 1947 (though it was a hut then).
This project was a natural collaboration for the two active service clubs in the community. It’s one they plan to continue.
“They do great work in the community and we want to support them,” said Rotary president Chris Kershaw, also crediting the community at large.
“Without the support of people around Oak Bay for our fundraising activities – like the flag program – we wouldn’t be able to make these kinds of contributions, so we have a wonderful community we’re working with.”
For those unfamiliar, the Canada flag subscription program is to credit when the red and white appear on lawns across Oak Bay and beyond.
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Parks, Recreation and Culture staff installed the pathway, to be removed come fall, earlier this summer. Residents are already finding their way down with walkers, wagons, wheelchairs or even just wobbly legs, Paterson said.
“There have been families who have children with disabilities and being able to have the family member who is wheelchair bound be able to join the rest of the family members getting to the oceanfront rather than being up on the sidewalk or having to be lifted over – it’s really meaningful,” she said.
The added access opens options for residents of Kiwanis Pavilion – a Victoria care home for people with dementia.
“This is another outing to take residents. We can now take them to the beach … and enjoy the beach for the first time in many, many years,” Cockle said. “It gives them this little bit of pleasure in a day where they would be stuck in a facility.”
