Memorial Plaza Now Open for Public Use

July 6, 2022

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The Hirst and Memorial capital upgrades are now complete. The City is extremely proud of this project and to see the vision for Memorial and Hirst Avenues reflect the community’s wishes while honouring the history of Memorial Avenue. The official opening of the Memorial Plaza was held on July 5 which showcased this new public space, a key component of the City’s downtown revitalization strategy. Hirst Avenue West improvements are significant and Memorial Avenue was transformed from primarily a vehicle corridor to a people place with the addition of the Memorial Plaza.

Memorial Plaza is a new 13,800 square foot public space, a dynamic new venue for residents, visitors, businesses, and community organizations to celebrate and experience Parksville Downtown. Historic Memorial Avenue now features a new streetscape with one-way vehicle traffic eastbound on Memorial Avenue with improved irrigation and growing conditions for the memorial trees as well as new street trees on Hirst Avenue West. A portion of this $4 million upgrades project was funded through the Federal Gas Tax Fund and ICBC.

Memorial Avenue, one of the oldest streets in Parksville, is a living monument to Parksville’s fallen World War I soldiers. The original century-old memorial elm trees were planted in 1922 and now 100 years later, with nine newly planted trees, Memorial Avenue continues to honour the memory of the men who lost their lives.

The City thanks the businesses on Hirst and Memorial for your patience during construction. Details about the Memorial and Hirst avenues upgrades project may be viewed on Let’s Talk Parksville.