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About Us

The Mary Winspear Centre

The Mary Winspear Centre offers the perfect setting to host your next celebration, event, trade show, art program, or stage show. Our location offers free parking, and easy access to the ferry terminal, the airport, and Victoria.

The Centre is the “Heart of our Community”. We look forward to hosting your next event.

tents setup outside
tents setup outside

Blue Heron Park

Located in North Saanich, adjacent to SMONEĆTEN Campground, the park land was purchased in accordance with the Trust as replacement lands after expropriation of other Trust property in 1983.

Much of the park land is leased to Peninsula Soccer Association and Saanich School District for athletic use. The remainder of the park has forested trails for public recreation which are maintained by the Saanich Peninsula Memorial Park Society. The Society continues to seek partners to assist with park maintenance.

The Saanich Peninsula Memorial Park Society (MPS)

In 1921, the Sidney Athletic Association and Sidney Women’s Auxiliary acquired 12-acres of land in Sidney for community athletic and recreational purposes. The Memorial Park Society was established, and the park, which included an athletic field and children’s playground, was named the North Saanich War Memorial Park in honour of the local men lost in the First World War. The Society, in 1993, also took on management of SANSCHA Hall, located on the park grounds.

The Memorial Park Society (MPS) was central to the planning and construction of the Mary Winspear Centre and continues to oversee the Mary Winspear Centre and Blue Heron Park as trustee on behalf of the residents of the Saanich Peninsula.

The purpose of the Saanich Peninsula Memorial Park Society is:

  • To advance the public’s appreciation of the arts by presenting and performing arts to the general public.
  • To advance the public’s appreciation of the arts by providing a space for exhibiting visual art.
  • To provide a public amenity by establishing and maintaining a park in the District of North Saanich.
  • To provide a public amenity by establishing and maintaining an artistic space and multi-use community facility, and to provide unrestricted access to the Community Safety Building.

Charity registration: 886363993RR0001

Mary Winspear Centre view from pond

Board of Directors

Del Elgersma

Chair

May Mah-Paulson

Vice Chair

Gord Griffiths

Treasurer

Peter Wainwright

Secretary, Chair of Governance Committee

Sheilah Fea

Past Chair

Patrick Brown

Director

Howard Brunt

Director, Chair of Blue Heron Park Advisory Committee

Kathryn Kreiser

Director

Ryan Trelford

Director

Linda Pendray

Ex Officio, Chair of Mary Winspear Centre Foundation