Ogden Point is well-loved by many individuals in Victoria who are drawn to the wealth of experiences available here. Some of them have formed community groups to share the adventure or work together to beautify the location. Here are some of the groups and their achievements.
Ogden Point Enhancement Society
The Ogden Point Enhancement Society (OPES) was formed in 1996 to beautify the area around Ogden Point and to create a more welcoming public space. In addition to making the public port facility more aesthetically pleasing, the OPES seeks to improve the safety and security of the site. Major initiatives of the OPES include creating the ecological information kiosk at the foot of the breakwater and working to link Ogden Point with the Harbour Pathway Project.
Songhees and Esquimalt Artists: Land and Sea Mural
Darlene Gait of the Esquimalt Nation and Butch Dick of the Songhees Nation created the beautiful Land and Sea Mural along the side of the breakwater, along with 6 student artists-in-training. Commissioned by the Harbour Authority and blessed on September 24, 2009, the mural portrays the symbol of the wolf, which represents family unity for both Nations. The mural also portrays numerous images of animals from both land and sea, each with its own symbolic meaning. There is an interpretation sign on the west shore opposite the mural.
Victoria A.M. Association
The bronze statue of the Town Crier came to Ogden Point in 2009 as a result of the efforts of the Victoria A.M. Association. It was created by local artist Armando Barbon in the likeness of Tommy Mayne who has been with the Association for 19 years and is himself a town crier, heralding news, reading town proclamations and sometimes welcoming passengers from cruise ships as the arrive in port.
Reef Balls: Veins of Life Watershed Society
In the parking lot next to the dive shop are several reef balls. These hollow domes of concrete about one metre in diameter are part of a restoration effort that saw 92 of these balls submerged in the subtidal zone next to the breakwater to create new habitat. The reef balls were installed by the University of Victoria School of Environmental Studies and the Veins of Life Watershed Society and they will be monitored to document the sea life they support.
Amalgamated Conservation Society of Victoria
The Amalgamated Conservation Society of Victoria has a proposal to raise thousands of pink salmon fry in an open water pen next to Ogden point opposite the boat launch. This is not a fish farm though, it would be more like a pen in a salmon hatchery, providing protection for the fry as they grow larger before being released and hopefully return in two years as adults.
Sundial: BC 150 Celebrations
A number of partners, including the Provincial Capital Commission, Pioneer Builders Charitable Society, OPES, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, Rogers’ Chocolates, and W.B. (Red) & Fern McNulty, contributed to this intriguing stand-upon sundial on the walkway leading to the breakwater from Dallas Road. Try it on a sunny day–it tells you where to stand to increase accuracy of the reading.
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