Where are our parks located?
Check out the Esquimalt Parks Map. The map pinpoints the locations for 13 parks, 4 greenways and open spaces, 12 waterways and beach accesses, and 3 recreation facilities.
Water fountains in Esquimalt parks
Saxe Point Park: beside main parking lot
High Rock Park: neat pathway in the dog off-leash area
Memorial Park: beside playground
West Bay: entrance of the walkway
Gorge Park: south side on the nature house
Adventure Park: Lion's head fountain
PARKS, FOUNTAINS, BEACH ACCESS AND FACILITIES MAPACH ACCESS AND FACILITIES MAP
Learn more
1. Esquimalt Adventure Park
Located at 527 Fraser Street, beside the Esquimalt Recreation Centre, the Esquimalt Adventure Park opened in 2017 and features: two x children's playground, splash pad, outdoor active park with a complete fitness circuit, picnic areas, washroom and change facility. The park is open dawn to dusk; splash pad hours are 10:00am to 7:00pm May to September (weather permitting). Click here for more information.
2. Anderson Park
Anderson Park consists of .4 ha. of open sloping field and a children's playground area with a picnic table and benches. For teens, there's a small skateboard practice area. The park is found on the corner of Colville Road and Carrie Street.
3. Captain Jacobson Park
Captain Jacobson Park is next door to the historic Captain’s House. It is said that Captain Victor Jacobson used to tie up his boat where the .2 hectare park is today.
A flat path leads to views of the West Bay Marina and benches to rest awhile. There are two benches for park visitors to enjoy the view of West Bay and the marina.
The park was established in 1972, and received its present name in 1998. The park is found on Head Street, south of Esquimalt Road.
4. Colville Park
Colville Park is a small park with a big impact. On its .03 hectares you'll find mature landscaping, a large Dogwood with a beautiful display in the late spring, and other trees and shrubs that provide shady respite from summer sun. The park is found on the corner of Colville and Admirals roads.
5. Esquimalt Gorge Park
Esquimalt Gorge Park was first established as BC Electric Gorge Park in 1905, but as far back as the 1860s local settlers used this 11.65 hectare area for recreation.
In 1907, BC Electric officially opened Japanese Tea Gardens there, along with an amusement park and floating sampan tearoom. Sadly, the gardens were destroyed by anti-Japanese fervor in 1941. Learn more through the Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society and Past Wrongs, Future Choices.
The park's popularity went into a decline until the 1950s when it was given to the Township of Esquimalt. It was upgraded through the generosity of the Kinsmen Club, after whom the park was named until 2006.
The gently rolling landscape of the park includes horticultural and forested areas. There are perennial borders, a rose garden, and many fine heritage trees, including a few hundred-year old umbrella pines. Benches are found along the waterway path, and picnic tables are scattered throughout the lawn areas.
Gorge Creek was restored in 2005 and is now home to native plants and wildfowl unique to the region. Visitors enjoy the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary, which travels along the Gorge Waterway. The area is also undergoing renaturalization through the Gorge Park Green Shores for Shoreline Development Desmonstration project.
Esquimalt's Gorge Park is also home to the Gorge Waterway Nature House. The Gorge Waterway Nature House came to be through a partnership between local NGOs including World Fisheries Trust, the Township of Esquimalt and sponsorship by the Victoria Foundation. The Nature House, which opened on Ocean's day (June 8) in 2008, provides students and visitors with a hands-on opportunity to explore the ecology of our area (specifically the area around the Gorge Waterway).
The park is found on Tillicum Road just south of the Gorge Waterway. You can also enter on foot from Sioux Place, off Craigflower Road.
6. Highrock Park
Highrock Park is the highest point of land in Esquimalt. At 71 metres in elevation, it offers 360 degree views of the Capital Region, downtown Victoria, the Sooke Hills and the Olympic Mountains.
This 7.1 hectare park features glaciated knolls, and native plants such as sword ferns, blue camas and dotted among stands of Gary oaks, arbutus and Douglas fir. Nature appreciation, bird watching, hiking and dog walking are the popular activities in this park.
Highrock has also been called Cairn Park, referring to a cairn built on the summit to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the incorporation of the Township of Esquimalt.
Foot paths from surrounding neighbourhoods lead to the park. You can enter from Cairn Road off Old Esquimalt Road, Highrock Place off Rockheights Avenue, or from Matheson Avenue off Rockheights Avenue.
7. Hither Green
Small green space, located on Bewdley Avenue off Lampson Street.
8. Lugrin Place
Another small neighbourhood park, it too contains a small children's playground. It is located on Lugrin Place off Lockley Street.
9. Fleming Beach
Fleming Beach forms one of entrances to Buxton Green and Macaulay Point. The .9 hectare site includes mature trees, shrubs and perennials at the entrance, and a small sandy beach. Rock faces and cliffs are a prominent feature of the park, well used by rock climbers from throughout the Capital Region.
Fleming Beach is also home to the Esquimalt Anglers Association which developed the boat ramp, club house and boat launch there.
The park is found on Munro Street, off Fraser or Lampson streets.
10. Buxton Green
Buxton Green is built over the first salt water swimming pool in the Capital Region. This 1 hectare green includes a 650 foot walkway adjacent to Fleming Beach that rises up to a lookout point and along a breakwater.
To enjoy the views and the passing marine traffic, there are picnic tables and benches on the green.
11. Macaulay Point
Macaulay Point began as a Hudson Bay farm, then later became part of Fort Macaulay. It has been managed as a municipal park since 1985.
This 7.6 hectare park is popular with birdwatchers, hikers and dog walkers. Native vegetation is mixed with grasses, plantain, and common cat’s ear. A remarkable array of plants has adapted, including roses, lupins, gumweed, wild onions and biscuit roots. At the eastern limit of the park boundary, a small grove of trembling aspens grows.
A number of trails and access points lead to views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, as well as former military ramparts. Bunkers, lookouts and defensive berms give the park an historic look.
The park is home to rare and endangered plant species protected under Canada's Species At Risk Act. Visitors and their dogs are required to stay on designated paths to help protect this fragile area.
Macaulay Point can be accessed from Fleming Beach, as well as from Clifton Terrace off Munro Street.
Download the Macaulay Point Natural Areas Management Plan.
12. Memorial Park
Memorial Park was established in 1924 to commemorate Canadian soldiers killed in World War 1. An oak seedling from the Royal Forests in England was planted here in 1937 as one of several “Coronation Oaks” in the region. It is still thriving today. On either side of the cenotaph are two WWI trophy field guns.
In 1995, the .9 hectare park was designated a Heritage Site. Its heritage is noted in the original trees, the cenotaph and guns, and the rock and mortar gate posts along Esquimalt Road.
Remembrance Day ceremonies are held at the cenotaph each year.
Heritage and horticulture live side by side here. Several fine Horse Chestnut and pollarded London Plane trees give the park its distinct character. Shrubs and annual beds surround the front lawn area, and two rose beds flank the ‘Legion Way’ walk to the cenotaph.
There are several benches and picnic tables in both sun and shade, and a small children's playground.
The park is found on Esquimalt Road across from the Municipal Hall.
13. Paradise Park
This small park, located on Paradise Street between Lyall and Head streets, contains a children's playground.
14. Propeller Park
This .02 hectare park is formally known as the Shipbuilding and Repair Memorial Commemorative Park. Created in 1999, it features a large World War 2 vintage ship propeller. The propeller was erected to commemorate 100 years of shipbuilding and repair in Esquimalt from 1893 to 1994.
Today a variety of interesting trees, including Lawson cypress, beautifies a previously stark industrial site.
The park is found on the corner of Canteen and Esquimalt roads.
15. Saxe Point
Saxe Point was designated as park land in 1934. During World War 2, many trees on this 7.5 hectare site were cleared and a searchlight was installed as part of the DND’s shoreline defense.
The park provides spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains and Strait of Juan de Fuca. Fine perennial and shrub borders and a large open lawn area overlook the water. Forested trails and beach accesses are set among mature Douglas fir and Grand fir.
Walk the trails, explore the beaches, or enjoy the views from one of the many benches or picnic tables.
Saxe Point is found at the end of Fraser Street, with foot paths off of Munro and Bewdley streets. Learn more about the area through our self-guided walking tour.
See HERE for update map of Saxe including dog areas.
16. Lampson Park
Sports fields located off of Lampson, by the intersection of Lampson and Colville. Current park amenities include: two baseball diamonds, seasonal concession and washrooms, playground and short walking trails.