The Walley Creek Streamkeepers were understandably worried in August 2021 when we heard that the property beside Pipers Pub (4670 Hammond Bay Rd.) was was for sale. Our group formed when a similar high density subdivision on Hammond Bay Road was granted a development permit within the watercourse protection area.  We've since heard that those homes have problems with flooded basements during rain storms, despite sump pumps moving water out.

The property beside Piper's Pub contains two important wetlands associated with Walley Creek, which manage flow and filter the water as it flows downstream.  For development near wetlands a 15m setback is the default, and the Development Permit Area guidelines outline more details on what is required on specific sites.  You can read the City of Nanaimo's description of their watercourse protection here.  

In February 2023, when the property sold, we streamkeepers wrote a letter to Mayor and Council on behalf of our group, and encouraged concerned neighbors who contacted us to do the same. 

A development permit for 4670 Hammond Bay Rd. was approved by City Council on July 8, 2024.  To see it, go to What's Building in My Neighborhood, and type 4670 as the address and Hammond Bay into the next drop-down box.  Make sure the "show inactive" box is ticked above, then click on the S that comes up on the map..   Two pages of the permit are included below for reference.  To our great relief, the developer is not planning to create any road access to Hammond Bay through the wetland or across the creek. Also, the wetland areas have been protected as parks, and the riparian area boundary is being respected.   What a difference from the last development in our watershed, and an important step to protecting all the plants and animals that thrive in this healthy ecosystem!

poster courtesy of Damaris Brisco, learn more

May 2021, nursery for long-toed salamanders

For the past year, we have worked with the City of Nanaimo to restore the riparian area in reach 2 (read more here).   Between the crushed gravel path and the creek there is a shallow pool with some water flowing through it.  With help from Elke Wind, herpetologist and wetland specialist, we investigated this area for potential wetland enhancement.  The City of Nanaimo generously supplied an excavator and operator (Ryan) to dig test pits so we could examine the underground soil structure and better understand how water moves through this area. 

​Ryan excavated 5 test pits so we could see if the water flowing through the wetland area is surface water or groundwater.  We determined that it is surface water, possibly flowing from the north (ie. Shores Drive access to Neck Point).   

The pits filled up with water, so after filling the holes back up they were very soft (like quicksand).  Ryan placed boulders and logs over top, and we flagged where the pits were.  We did not expect the sandy substrate underneath the shale rock on the surface!  After filling in the test pits, Ryan scraped away a few inches of shale and soil in one large area to create an ephemeral pool that will dry up in August, preventing invasive bullfrogs from hanging around.

As far as wetland enhancement - Elke suggested we could eventually put in a pond liner with wetland plants around the periphery.  But for now we've decided to watch the existing surface water and plan to enhance what's there. 

The wetland area after our investigations.