The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) and partners joined to celebrate the re-opening of a park on Comox Road mid-July 2026. The celebration promoted the park redesign, shoreline improvements and project’s collaborative approach as well as celebrating the park’s new name: qapoje Park.
qapoje (kah-poh’-jeh) means “spring salmon in a creek flowing south”. It is the traditional ayajusem term for Coho Creek, which flows from Back Road, under Comox Road, through the park and into the estuary.
The shoreline restoration and park redesign began in August 2024, and included the removal of invasive species, creation of new estuarine habitat and fish channel, shoreline stabilization, installation of new boardwalk and viewing platform. It also includes a new pathway along the park's shoreline, reconstructed parking and installation of interpretive signage.
Park upgrades include:
- Removal of invasive species, tree work and excavation/grading work.
- Creation of new estuarine habitat and fish channel, including installation of coarse woody debris and over 40,000 indigenous plants.
- Shoreline stabilization (nourishment) with gravel/cobble mix.
- Installation of screw (helical) piles for base structure of new boardwalk.
- Installation of new modular boardwalk.
- New parks amenities including covered pavilion and picnic deck
- Reconstructed parking area with accessible parking stall and accessible trails to access all parks amenities.
- New interpretive parks signage, completed in collaboration with K’omoks First Nation.
- Green Shores Gold certification
Green Shores Certification
Green Shores is an initiative of the Stewardship Centre for BC (SCBC), a project partner with the CVRD on the qapoje Park venture.
The qapoje Park upgrades were designed using Green Shores principles for shoreline development. Green Shores supports a broader vision for waterfront development to increase capacity to minimize impacts of shoreline development and climate change while preserving or enhancing shoreline ecology and ecosystem services. Green Shores incentivizes and provides a guideline for climate change adaptation and incorporates the most recent estimates of sea level rise to increase shoreline resilience for both ecosystems and property developments.
The Green Shores guiding principles are to:
- Preserve the integrity and connectivity of shoreline processes;
- Maintain and enhance shoreline habitat diversity and function;
- Minimize and reduce pollutants to the shoreline environment;
- Reduce and reverse cumulative impacts to shoreline systems.
Through integrated design elements, and the related credit and rating tool associated with Green Shores, qapoje Park has achieved Green Shores Gold certification!
Proud Funding Partners
The new qapoje Park was made possible by a $1.14 million grant funded by the Province of B.C. and administered by the Union of BC Municipalities through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund's Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Adaptation stream. This stream supports projects that reduce flood risk and helps communities adapt to climate change. The shoreline improvements at qapoje Park are designed to stabilize the foreshore and reduce flood risk along Comox Road.
Funding was also provided from the Community stream of the federal government’s Build Communities Strong Fund ($685,790), Pacific Salmon Foundation ($70,000), Project Watershed ($68,000), Nature Trust of BC ($50,000), and BC Hydro’s Regreening Grant ($8,000).
Award Winning Project
qapoje Park was a recipient of the Sustainable Community Awards in 2024. This award is presented by the Federation of Canadian Muncipalities (FCM), celebrating the most innovative sustainable initiatives across Canada.
Additional Resources
Background
Partnering with the Stewardship Centre for BC and K’ómoks Guardian Watchmen, the CVRD is working to complete a shoreline restoration project to demonstrate a nature-based solution for shoreline management and coastal adaptation, while providing a boost in amenities and features at Dyke Road Park. Other project contributors include Project Watershed, Guardians of our Salish Estuaries (GOOSE) and the Pacific Salmon Foundation, with technical support from Current Environmental, NHC Coastal Engineering, and Hapa Collaborative (landscape architecture firm).
This project will bring a revitalized park space with new amenities for the community to enjoy.
Project Contact:
Contact Community Services for any questions.