Harmston Park is a three-acre green space located on the former School District 71 site. The City of Courtenay took ownership of the property in 2016, recognizing its potential to help meet growing demand for parkland — especially with more housing expected under new small-scale, multi-unit housing regulations.
Classified as a neighbourhood park in the City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Harmston Park is part of the broader Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan (DVLAP) currently underway. The DVLAP includes four distinct planning districts: Riverfront, Downtown Core, Fitzgerald Corridor and Harmston Park.
The Harmston Park Plan will be developed based on feedback received through the community engagement process, including public open houses, surveys, and conversations with community interest groups. Two concept plans will be developed this fall to inform an implementation plan for short-, medium-, and long-term investments. Detailed design for Phase 1 (short-term improvements) will follow once a preferred concept plan has been approved by Council.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to share thoughts on the initial visioning concept designs for Harmston Park. A summary of the feedback from the project's engagement activities and findings from the first round of engagement in 2025 can be found by clicking on the following link: Harmston Park Plan - What We Heard Report.
Stay tuned for more opportunities to provide feedback on this project by checking this project website regularly or select the +Follow button on the top right of this page.
To learn more about the Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan project also currently underway, visit:
The Harmston Park district concept will inform a more detailed design process launching later this fall.
To learn more about the Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan project, visit:
engagecomoxvalley.ca/courtenay-downtown-plan.
