Restoration work at Pioneer Square Park — a former cemetery — stopped almost as soon as it began this week after human remains were uncovered at a shallow depth.

Improvements were underway Wednesday, the second day of work, when workers discovered the human remains buried about 46 centimetres below the surface.

article continues below

When such remains are found, city protocol requires that work stop to obtain archaeological advice, especially given the possibility any find may be First Nations remains, said Kate Friars, city director of parks and recreation.

“We need to make sure when we do discover bones … that they are human remains and so on,” Friars said.

“The assumption is low that these are First Nations bones, but because [the discovery] wasn’t beside a marker or anything and was only 18 inches [46 cm] below the surface, it was: ‘OK, what have we got here?’ So we just need to do that investigation.”

The remains were discovered as asphalt was being removed to make way for a new walkway.

An archaeologist was called to do an assessment of the entire site and is to remain on site when work resumes.

That human remains were found should not surprise anyone. Known as the old burying ground, the park served as a cemetery from 1855 to 1873. It’s been a city park since 1908.

About 1,300 bodies are buried there, although it’s hard to tell from the few markers that remain. That’s because around 1908 — in a move that cost the then parks superintendent his job — the markers were unceremoniously cleared out and moved to a back wall. Some remain in storage.

As of Thursday, all excavation had stopped pending completion of the archaeological assessment.

The archaeologist’s report is expected today, Friars said.

The assumption is that the remains are those of someone who was interred in the cemetery that were disturbed some time ago, Friars said.

“The green space has gone through a number of iterations in the last 100 and some odd years,” she said.

In April, Victoria councillors approved a $700,000 redevelopment of Pioneer Square that includes preservation of some gravestones, better lighting and walkways and closing part of Rockland Avenue to traffic. The work is to be done over two or three years.

The portion of the project underway includes grave preservation, new walkways and lighting.

Pioneer Square is a small, rectangular park adjacent to Christ Church Cathedral, and bordered by Rockland Avenue and Quadra and Meares streets.

bcleverley@timescolonist.com