Gonzales

​For more than 25 years, Gerald “Jerry” Stinson worked to ensure that his family's waterfront property at 1851 Hollywood Crescent would become a permanent public park for the people of Victoria. In 1999, Jerry signed a formal agreement with the City of Victoria, bearing the Mayor's signature and the City's corporate seal, to establish the property as Stinson Green following his death. He subsequently registered a conservation covenant with the Nature Trust of British Columbia in 2010 and reaffirmed his intentions in his 2013 will. His vision was simple: a peaceful waterfront green space where future generations could rest, enjoy the ocean views and access the beach.

Following Jerry's death in February 2026, the City declined the gift, citing an estimated $3.5 million in development costs and ongoing maintenance expenses. As a result, the property falls into the residue of Jerry's estate, which his will directs to the Nature Trust of British Columbia to help protect 1851 Hollywood and to conserve a piece of coastal marine-island ecosystem. The Nature Trust has indicated that it intends to sell the property. Because the existing covenant's principal park-use restrictions were conditional on transfer to the City, there is now a real possibility that the property could eventually be sold for residential development. This is a deeply disappointing outcome for neighbours who knew Jerry and understood how much preserving his family's property meant to him.

Neighbours are now exploring whether Jerry's original vision can still be realized through a community-led initiative, potentially involving the Gonzales Neighbourhood Association, local donors and conservation partners. Possibilities include acquiring the property through a nonprofit organization, establishing permanent legal protections and arranging community-supported maintenance. Such an approach could potentially preserve Stinson Green while generating proceeds for Jerry's alternative conservation endowment. We welcome neighbours with experience or connections in engineering, construction, landscape design, law, fundraising or nonprofit management to help explore what is possible. Jerry spent decades trying to create something lasting for Victoria. Our hope is that, together, we can still find a way to honour that legacy.​