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Tuesday, July 09, 2024
Leech Tunnel
DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST Times Colonist Sunday, July 7 2024
Kathy Haesevoets at the Leech Tunnel near the CRD’s Sooke Lake Reservoir. The Capital Regional District (CRD) built the tunnel linking the Leech River to the Sooke Lake Reservoir in 1987, but it has never been used. According to the CRD Regional Water Supply 2022 master plan, the tunnel is expected to come into service by 2042. Although Canadians use more water per capita than other countries around the world, many in the Capital Region have embraced water conservation through measures such as letting lawns go brown in summer and planting less water-hungry plants, driving down consumption from 559 litres per capita per day in 1998 to 337 litres in 2022 — among the lowest in the province for a major metropolitan area. That’s happened despite a population growth of between 1 and 1.5 per cent per year, said Kathy Haesevoets, an information technician with CRD Integrated Water Services, who notes that if consumption drops to 300 litres a day, the CRD could put off supplementing the Sooke Lake Reservoir with the backup plan — Leech River-area water — for 20 years. Elk/Beaver Lake became the growing city’s water source in 1872. The two lakes, once separate, were joined with the damming of Colquitz Creek. Filter beds were installed in 1896 after residents complained of finding fish and tadpoles in their drinking water.
When residents turned on their taps in 1905, the water was flowing from reservoirs in the Goldstream area, which still has four surface-water reservoirs, with a volume of approximately 10 million cubic metres and a catchment area of 2,109 hectares. In 2007 and 2010, the CRD purchased land from private forest land holders that forms the catchment area around the Leech River to ensure access to the water source and prevent any contamination from industrial or agricultural use. That property, which had been 95 per cent harvested, according to the CRD, has more than 400 kilometres of roads, and is currently undergoing restoration to remove old logging infrastructure, upgrade main roads and deactivate and rehabilitate excess roads.
The ability of the CRD to own and manage 98 per cent of the land that drains into the Sooke and Goldstream water supply reservoirs — the catchment area — makes the system unusual, as most municipalities rely on public lakes for their water.
To ensure the water is safe for human consumption, it’s run through a three-step disinfection process that starts with the use of ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and parasites. A low dose (1.5 to 2.5 mg/litre) of chlorine is added next, to kill viruses. Ammonia is added as a final step to prevent bacterial contamination as the water travels through the distribution system pipes.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Leechtown Slideshow
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Cycle to Kapoor
Today I cycled 15km (9½sm) roundtrip on the Galloping Goose Regional Trail (GGT) from Sooke Potholes Upper Parking to The Clearing. The Clearing is where Cameron Lumber Co. built its sawmill and log-sort in 1934. Newt Cameron stated his father built the family sawmill: "On the CNR railway south of the Kapoor Lands." Logically, this puts the Kapoor Lands north of The Clearing. The boundary marker in the clearing's GPS Coordinates are; 48° 29.421N 123° 42.823W. Plug that into your Google.earth and you'll know where -- according to my handheld GPS unit -- the boundary between the two properties is located.
While I cycled The Goose, Bernice and a friend walked the trails in the Potholes Area. It seems Sooke Potholes Park and the GGT north from there gets more recreational users every year. Today was no exception. The Upper Parking Lot was filled to capacity when we left in the early afternoon. During the ½hr. I was at the clearing, no less than nine cyclists and three walkers arrived.
The Kapoor Regional Park map is displayed on one the three facets on the new kiosk built at the clearing. This map shows Kapoor Regional Park boundaries starting in the south where Sooke Potholes Park ends and the northern boundary at where the CRD Water Supply (watershed) fence is now located. The western boundary of Kapoor Regional Park is the Sooke River itself and the eastern boundary shown on the map is the GGT (or the Kapoor Lumber Co.'s, chainlink fence). Other than the new amenities added at The Clearing, the Kapoor Regional Park has seen no development or additional access trails or improvements to the existing trails.
Today, Kapoor Regional Park is a wonderful asset to the Vancouver Island recreational community; in fact, one of the couples arriving at the clearing today had come all the way from Campbell River, BC, just to cycle up to Leechtown. After looking at the map in the kiosk, they asked how they could get to Leechtown.
"Carry on northward until you come to the first red gate on your righthand side; right across from the gate is a skidroad down to the confluence of the two rivers and former site of Leechtown."
They were disappointed they could not see the Leechtown Replica Cairn (because it is on the other side of the Sooke River).
While I cycled The Goose, Bernice and a friend walked the trails in the Potholes Area. It seems Sooke Potholes Park and the GGT north from there gets more recreational users every year. Today was no exception. The Upper Parking Lot was filled to capacity when we left in the early afternoon. During the ½hr. I was at the clearing, no less than nine cyclists and three walkers arrived.
The Kapoor Regional Park map is displayed on one the three facets on the new kiosk built at the clearing. This map shows Kapoor Regional Park boundaries starting in the south where Sooke Potholes Park ends and the northern boundary at where the CRD Water Supply (watershed) fence is now located. The western boundary of Kapoor Regional Park is the Sooke River itself and the eastern boundary shown on the map is the GGT (or the Kapoor Lumber Co.'s, chainlink fence). Other than the new amenities added at The Clearing, the Kapoor Regional Park has seen no development or additional access trails or improvements to the existing trails.
Today, Kapoor Regional Park is a wonderful asset to the Vancouver Island recreational community; in fact, one of the couples arriving at the clearing today had come all the way from Campbell River, BC, just to cycle up to Leechtown. After looking at the map in the kiosk, they asked how they could get to Leechtown.
"Carry on northward until you come to the first red gate on your righthand side; right across from the gate is a skidroad down to the confluence of the two rivers and former site of Leechtown."
They were disappointed they could not see the Leechtown Replica Cairn (because it is on the other side of the Sooke River).
Friday, August 24, 2012
Today we cycled 29km roundtrip on the Galloping Goose Regional Trail (GGT) from the 44km marker to the trail's end at the 57km location. Cameron and I then backtracked to the road down to the deep pool where we forded the river with our bikes. Once across the Sooke River we picked up Boneyard Main logging road and cycled the short distance to the replica, Leechtown Cairn. The old cairn looks a little-worst-for-ware but at least it's still there.
We then cycled back to where Leech Main intersects with Boneyard Main and looked over the backhoe and metal sluice machine parked there. Then it was time to cross back over the river and eat lunch beside the pool. This is the first time I've been here in over two-years and brush has noticeably increased along the waters' edge. The good news -- no bears!
Just another day in paradise. Lots of cyclists on the trail and great weather. Thanks for letting me ride with you C.
SportTrackLive from smartphone
Leechtown Video
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Today we attended the annual memorial to Lt. Peter J. Leech after whom Leechtown on Vancouver Island is named. The gathering is sponsored by a dedicated group of individuals interested in erecting a permanent memorial to Sooke's most successful miner. After meeting at Starbucks in the Fairfield Mall, the assemble group of approximately 30 souls were lead by Royal Canadian Scottish Regimental Piper, Kelly, across the road to Ross Bay Cemetery.Patrick Lydon, our host, told us some pertinent facts regarding Leech's 1864 gold discovery in the Sooke River as we gathered around the gravesite. Leech was born in Dublin 1826 and died in Victoria 1899. Leech must have been a man of few words as his epitaph reads: The gold will speak for itself.
It was a marvelous meeting of minds of those who think alike; including, Leech's gg-grandson, Jeff Felker, and his 9-year-old-son, Gage. Jeff has an uncanny resemblance to his famous great-great-grandfather. It was a pleasure to meet Jeff's wife, as well.
Apparently, the proposal for the permanent memorial is to have it erected in the clearing where the former Cameron Lumber Company sawmill was located at the 55.5km mark on the present-day, Galloping Goose Regional Trail (GGT). The reasoning being for not locating the memorial at the Leechtown site is due to the fact the last two such memorials (both cairns) were destroyed by vandals. The remnants of the second (replica) cairn remain, but is in poor condition. Furthermore, the general public cannot access the Cragg Main Logging road where the replica cairn sits today beside said road.
Lt. Peter J. Leech Memorial Service 2011 90-second video
Unfortunately, this dedicated group is lacking significant facts regarding the history of the former Canadian National Railway (CNR) in regards to the logging and sawmill activities along this section of the CNR right-of-way (RoW). Peter stated this clearing (simple known as The Clearing) was the former site of Kapoor's 1928 sawmill operations. This is incorrect.
My father worked at the Kapoor Sooke Lake Mill at Mile 35, in 1928. Mile 35 (MP35, mile post 35) was -- and is -- located where the CNR tracks crossed over Council Creek. Doug MacFarlane, a lifelong Sooke resident and its most-knowledgeable resident, visited the old Kapoor Millsite many times until the Capital Regional District (CRD) fenced the area in as part of the Sooke Lake Watershed. Doug corroborates (yes, Doug's alive and well living on his large Sooke Riverside property) the fact the Kapoor Sooke Lake Mill was located mostly to the south side of Council Creek. The Council Creek site is off limits to the public.
Joan Mayo, author of "Paldi Remembered, Fifty Years in the Life of a Vancouver Island Logging Town", reports Kapoor and Mayo were fifty-percent partners in their logging and sawmill operations during and after the late 1920s. The truth of these matters is well documented; there are those, however, who cannot handle the truth.
Kapoor Lumber's Sooke Lake Mill would have been at MP35.68 where the rails crossed Council Creek. These lumber mills could not operate without an abundant supply of water to fill the the mill-pond(s). Kapoor's official letterhead ca.1935 read:
Kapoor Lumber Company Limited
MANUFACTURERS OF FIR AND CEDAR LUMBER
SPECIALTY SELECT COMMON AND STRUCTURAL TIMBERS
In replying please refer to file
SOOKE LAKE P.O.
MILE 35, C.N.R.
VIA Victoria, B.C
Kapoor Webpage
Times Colonist Article
Placer Miners' Association
Leechtown PowerPoint by Bill Irvine
Friday, July 15, 2011
LEECHTOWN 2011
Bill Irvine first explored Leechtown in 1972 when his friend, Mike D., owned a property with cabin near Old Wolfe Lake. Access was gained by vehicle from Sooke Lake Road after entering from the Shawnigan Lake Road turnoff. Sooke Lake Road tracked above the shoreline of Sooke Lake on its eastern side. Irvine first travelled this road with his father driving the family car ca.1946. The road was open to all in those days with the caveat that no one exit the vehicle while enroute. There was, however, a continuous flow of fresh, cold water emanating from a small pipe protruding from the bank beside the road's eastern side. This water logically came from Council Lake which is situated high above this point. Most travellers would stop here for a refreshing drink.
By 1972, little remnants of the once thriving Leechtown remained. Some vehicles, however, did gain access to the site from Sooke Lake Road and then parking beside the 'Deep Pool' at the confluence of the Leech and Sooke Rivers. The deep pool moniker being given by the 1864 miners where the Sooke River (upstream later being named after Lt. Leech) makes a ninety degree turn downstream to the south, thus, gouging out this deep pool in the otherwise, wide, but shallow, Sooke River. Another access could be gained from Boneyard Main Logging Road adjacent to the westbank of the Sooke River. The vehicular access point to this undulating, gravel road was beside the scout camp off Otter Point Road in Sooke, BC.
Irvine has returned to the former site of Leechtown several times since 2007. His last adventure by bicycle up the Galloping Goose Regional Trail was June 30, 2010. Irvine rested at the top of the road leading down to the Deep Pool when he saw two bears walking the trail to the west; this is the access and egress to this location so Irvine did not take this as a good sign. As he mounted his bike, he yelled and proceed down the trail at his highest speed. These two bears ran into the bush but just a few hundred metres beyond, another, large, black bear charged out of the salal bushes running at top speed and in full attack mode. Had Irvine not gained the advantage already of his maximum speed, this story would have ended like so many others of late: human eaten by bear! Irvine has not returned since.
This anecdote is included to remind those wanting to explore the old Leechtown site that it is inhabited by dangerous, wild animals. Those who have never had the experience of being attacked in such a way, reflect back upon all the wild creatures they have encountered and how they merely scared the animal off -- be it a bear or cougar. This assumption is incorrect and dangerous. The animals so encountered did not decide to attack and that is the only reason one got to see them. The animal which HAS decided to attack, will not be seen. If the victim sees the attacking creature at all, it will not be for more than one second. The attacking creature has probably already stalked the victim and once decided to attack, the attack is full-out and full-on. Humans have no real defense against such attacks. Their guns, bear-spray and loud horns, will remain where they were being carried. Travellers -- beware!
Bill Irvine first explored Leechtown in 1972 when his friend, Mike D., owned a property with cabin near Old Wolfe Lake. Access was gained by vehicle from Sooke Lake Road after entering from the Shawnigan Lake Road turnoff. Sooke Lake Road tracked above the shoreline of Sooke Lake on its eastern side. Irvine first travelled this road with his father driving the family car ca.1946. The road was open to all in those days with the caveat that no one exit the vehicle while enroute. There was, however, a continuous flow of fresh, cold water emanating from a small pipe protruding from the bank beside the road's eastern side. This water logically came from Council Lake which is situated high above this point. Most travellers would stop here for a refreshing drink.
By 1972, little remnants of the once thriving Leechtown remained. Some vehicles, however, did gain access to the site from Sooke Lake Road and then parking beside the 'Deep Pool' at the confluence of the Leech and Sooke Rivers. The deep pool moniker being given by the 1864 miners where the Sooke River (upstream later being named after Lt. Leech) makes a ninety degree turn downstream to the south, thus, gouging out this deep pool in the otherwise, wide, but shallow, Sooke River. Another access could be gained from Boneyard Main Logging Road adjacent to the westbank of the Sooke River. The vehicular access point to this undulating, gravel road was beside the scout camp off Otter Point Road in Sooke, BC.
Irvine has returned to the former site of Leechtown several times since 2007. His last adventure by bicycle up the Galloping Goose Regional Trail was June 30, 2010. Irvine rested at the top of the road leading down to the Deep Pool when he saw two bears walking the trail to the west; this is the access and egress to this location so Irvine did not take this as a good sign. As he mounted his bike, he yelled and proceed down the trail at his highest speed. These two bears ran into the bush but just a few hundred metres beyond, another, large, black bear charged out of the salal bushes running at top speed and in full attack mode. Had Irvine not gained the advantage already of his maximum speed, this story would have ended like so many others of late: human eaten by bear! Irvine has not returned since.
This anecdote is included to remind those wanting to explore the old Leechtown site that it is inhabited by dangerous, wild animals. Those who have never had the experience of being attacked in such a way, reflect back upon all the wild creatures they have encountered and how they merely scared the animal off -- be it a bear or cougar. This assumption is incorrect and dangerous. The animals so encountered did not decide to attack and that is the only reason one got to see them. The animal which HAS decided to attack, will not be seen. If the victim sees the attacking creature at all, it will not be for more than one second. The attacking creature has probably already stalked the victim and once decided to attack, the attack is full-out and full-on. Humans have no real defense against such attacks. Their guns, bear-spray and loud horns, will remain where they were being carried. Travellers -- beware!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Today I cycled 17km roundtrip on the Galloping Goose Trail (GGT) from Sooke Potholes up to the CRD's Watershed gate (approximately at the 57km location). while I cycled Bernice walked the GGT in the vicinity of The Land Conservancy (TLC) Campground which is open for the season.
You know you're having a good day when you can outrun an attacking bear. That's exactly what happened on my way back.
I'd seen bear scat on the trail near Old Wolfe Creek bridge which is not uncommon. As I continued my ride to the end of the trail I had an overwhelming sense there were bears in my immediate vicinity. So strong was this sense, that I decided not to go down to the Deep Pool to eat my lunch -- which is my habit -- but instead, leave the area immediately and head back to the Potholes.
No sooner had I started back down the trail when I saw two black bears meandering down the trail about 300m ahead going in the same direction as me. Wow! What to do? I had to go past where they were in order to get back to where I started. I remembered from television coverage of bear attacks one should make lots of noise and make oneself appear as larg as possible. Thus, I yelled very load and watched the two bears run off the trail to my righthand side and disappear in the bush.
What to do next? I still had to ride past where they were and I had no idea if they would return to the trail or just keep going through the bush. There was always the chance these two bears were not the only ones here. Anticipating a worst-case scenario, I concluded my only safety would be in my speed. The trail was downhill to where the bears were and to where the GGT crosses the Old Wolfe Creek bridge.
I started cycling as fast as I could, reaching an estimated speed of 30km/per/hour. As I reached the other side of the bridge, a large, black bear charged at my bike from the bush on the righthand side of the trail. When I saw him his head was no more than a metre from my right leg. He was going almost as fast as I was but at an angle to my direction. I stood up on the pedals and peddled like hell!
Thank God for my new bike! With its light weight and 29-inch wheels it vastly outperformed my old ride -- and the bear!. I didn't look back nor stop pedaling until the next bear appeared ahead of me. Again, I yelled at the top of my voice and continued full-speed toward it. This bear was entering The Clearing at its northeastern edge. This bear was smaller then the one attempting to attack me and was probably a female. It got spooked and ran across the trail and disappeared out-of-sight in the bush to the righthand side.
None of these four bears made any sound during this whole ordeal. I'll probably never go up the GGT this far again and definitely not when I'm alone. That's enough bear stories to last me for a while.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Leechtown Cairn
Today, I cycled 18km from the Sooke Potholes Upper parking to the confluence of the Leech & Sooke Rivers. I forded the river with my ride and continued on Boneyard Main logging road north -- across the Leech River bridge -- to the cairn marking the site of the old Leechtown Government House. Yes, I have pictures-to-prove-it.
Bernice spent the day with her friend, Maureen, and ate lunch on her beautiful deck overlooking Haro Strait in Cordova Bay.
Yesterday, we golfed nine-holes at Mt. Doug Golf Course.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Leech River
Today I cycled 17km from Sooke Potholes to the confluence of the Sooke & Leech rivers. I pushed my bike across the Sooke River to get onto Bone Yard Main logging road in search of the Leechtown-site cairn. I didn't find it. This in spite of the fact I had been given a map showing its location. I'll try another day.
Friday we walked 4km at the usual places before attending Robina's Retirement party at the Mess.
