When JoAnn Outerbridge retired to Saanich, she spent her final years as a real estate 鈥渇lipper鈥� in service to birds, plants and fellow seekers of nature.
Outerbridge died on Feb. 2 in Victoria Hospice after a short illness with colon cancer. She was 93.
A widow with no children, Outerbridge鈥檚 name lives on in Outerbridge Park on Royal Oak Drive. Those who knew her say the park is a legacy to her love of gardens, birds and the people who enjoy them. It鈥檚 also a testament to her unflagging optimism and cheerful determination.
鈥淪he was determined,鈥� said Roger Charles, CEO of the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, a partner in maintaining Outerbridge Park. 鈥淭o be flipping houses in her 70s, I find that quite extraordinary.鈥�
Marlene Russo, who met Outerbridge when she was hired as a lawyer but soon became her friend, said the park-creation process was simple, even if the finances would panic most people.
After moving to Saanich in 1987 from her native Bermuda, Outerbridge noticed the potential of the long backyards of homes along Royal Oak Drive.
Outerbridge, who had trained as a gardener in Pennsylvania, started buying up the properties of her neighbours when they went on the market. She would then subdivide the backyards to later become one parcel for parkland. She financed the whole operation by selling the houses, minus their big backyards.
鈥淪he just looked out and realized what could be done,鈥� Russo said. 鈥淏ut it was a huge endeavour and she was taking on these enormous mortgages, borrowing as much money as she possibly could. It was hard not to worry about what she was doing.
鈥淚t was certainly extravagant on a financial scale, but she would always look at me and say, 鈥楧on鈥檛 worry, it will all work out.鈥欌��
After more than a decade, Outerbridge had acquired eight properties 鈥� including one she purchased from a developer who had planned to build a house there 鈥� for a total of nine acres (3.8 hectares). She called it Shangri-La Bird and Nature Sanctuary and planned its pathways, ponds and gardens 鈥� and opened it to the public.
After some years of soul-searching, she decided to sell the property to the District of Saanich for parkland. The municipality has since taken on the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (also approved by Outerbridge) as a partner to maintain it. Devoted volunteers manage it.
Charles said the volunteers pay weekly visits to the park, and students studying at the horticulture centre use it as a study aid.
Outerbridge was a frequent visitor.
鈥淪he would come out to the park and wanted to go round and see everything that was going on,鈥� Charles said. 鈥淪he was passionate about being as engaged as she could.鈥�
Russo said what always impressed her about Outerbridge was her flexibility. She was determined, but never rigid. So when the municipality decided the trails Outerbridge designed for Shangri-La weren鈥檛 wide enough for handicapped access, she raised no objections, even if they cut into garden beds.
When Saanich insisted it be named Outerbridge Park, as per municipal policy, there was no objection even though she had avoided publicity.
The park is part garden, part nature sanctuary and partly undeveloped, so wild creatures can have their choice of habitat.
Russo said Outerbridge was especially fond of hummingbirds, and when more than 80 people showed up on Feb. 9 to walk Outerbridge Park in remembrance of her, a lone hummingbird was also in attendance, perched on a tree, unafraid, watching the crowd.
Outerbridge鈥檚 remains have been taken to Cape Cod, Mass., to be interred next to her mother and a brother.
