Topaz Park

This is the huge grass covered parkland seen from Blanchard Street sort of close to Mayfair Shopping Center. Topaz Park has almost ten hectares of outdoor space for kids of all ages to hang out or play organized sports. The fenced artificial turf soccer field fills the lower northern section of the park. Its referred to as Finlayson Turf or Topaz field. A fenced rink or sport box for hockey and lacrosse lies on the rise overlooking the turf. Just behind the boxed rink is a paved trail through a grove of Garry oak trees. In the spring many camas flowers can be seen in between the blades of grass and rocky outcrops. The next large fields are grass covered and used for soccer, rugby, baseball and ultimate Frisbee.  These grass fields are referred to Blanchard and Glasglow fields due to their proximity of the bordering roadways. The artificial turf and grass fields are divided by lombardy poplar trees (Populus nigra). These tall columnar trees were planted in the middle of the nineteen hundreds. There are bleachers next to the fenced backstop near the eastern end of the fields. Both of the grass fields are best accessed from Topaz Avenue and Glasgow Street where parking can be found right next to the excellent playground. A building overlooking the fields houses a public toilet and sport teams rooms.

The woodchip surfaced playground is divided for big kids and toddlers. The play area has swings, three slides, raised platforms and climbing steps, tubes, spirals and stepping pedestals. There is a fenced area south of the playground that is an off leash area for dogs. This area has limited hours that dogs can be off leash. While dogs are allowed in the rest of park they must be on leash and tended too. This park is a busy place. Three tennis courts lie to the west of the playground as well as another field. Off of Topaz Street is a small parking area next to a building and fenced baseball field. This is a sand based field that is also marked for soccer. There are bleachers in the northeastern corner of this field. A local artist painted a mural that is visible from Blanchard Street on the western side of this field. A small grove of Garry oak trees adds the naturalscape of the rocky outcrops in this southern end of the park.

Geographic coordinates N48° 26′ 44″ W123° 21′ 49″

Topaz Park can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway. Follow the Trans Canada Highway as it become Douglas Street. Turn east onto Finlayson Street and continue across Blanchard Street. T right into the parking area just past the artificial turf field. Alternatively continue on Finlayson Street to Quadra Street. Turn right onto Quadra Street and take the next right onto Spruce Street. There is another parking lot past the church, which also happens to be Glasgow Street. The playground is closer to this parking area. The other parking area is across from SJ Willis School along Topaz Avenue just before the exit onto Blanchard Street. Topaz Avenue can not be accessed from Blanchard Street while driving southward due to the meridian on this section of divided highway. Circle around at Hillside Avenue and left again onto Topaz Avenue. A city bus travels along Quadra Street from downtown to Broadmead/Royal Oak area. Another bus travels along Finlayson from downtown.