The 1973 proposal also advocated completion of acquisition of lands around the lake, the upper parts of Christmas Hill, and a connecting corridor of land between the two sites. Thanks to substantial investments of funds by the National Second Century Fund of B.C and the provincial Greenbelt Fund, the remaining lands around the lake were bought. Only a small number of lots around the edge remained out of public control. Both the organizations mentioned leased their purchases to the Municipality of Saanich on long-term leases at nominal rents, on conditions that the land be used for a nature sanctuary. By 1980, the municipality had also secured sufficient land to assure the availability of the connecting corridor to Christmas Hill. More than half of the land required on the hill had also been bought. Between 1965 and 1978, approximately $650,000 was spent on buying land around Swan Lake for the proposed nature sanctuary.