North Saanich Heritage

Transcription

North Saanich Heritage
District of North Saanich
Heritage Advisory Commission
Photo Credits:
Copyright © Sidney Museum and Archives
Reproduced with permission
Terry Farrant
Dawn Gould
Marjorie Fraser (Horth)
North Saanich Staff
Copyright 2011 © District of North Saanich
Design and Graphics by Dawn Gould
“Dedicated to the early settlers of the Saanich Peninsula and
created for the residents of North Saanich”
Swartz Bay Ferry, October 10, 1930
This publication is made possible
through the joint efforts of the
District of North Saanich staff
and
the Heritage Advisory Commission
Table of Contents
Introduction
5
Education
6
North Saanich Heritage Advisory Commission 7
What is Considered Heritage?
8
Benefits of Community Heritage
9
What is a Heritage Register?
10
Heritage Designation
11
Comparing a Heritage Register with Heritage Designation 12
A Guide to Heritage Sites
13
Heritage Sites
14
Heritage Site Location Map
15
Heritage Site Details
16
History of North Saanich
36
Reference Material
39
Introduction
Through the Official Community Plan and Council’s threeyear strategic plan, the District of North Saanich supports the
recognition and preservation of heritage buildings, sites and
landscape features that are part of our history and community
values.
This publication outlines some of the basic concepts, key tools,
programs and services dealing with heritage in North Saanich.
Further heritage information and complete Heritage Site details
can be found on the District’s website at www.northsaanich.ca,
under the Residents / Heritage link.
Your interest is appreciated, your questions are encouraged and
your feedback is welcomed.
Contact Planning and Community Services at 250-655-5470 or
email [email protected].
Anna Horth holding a baby pheasant
5
5
Education
Public Participation - What Can You Do?

Help us protect the unique heritage of North Saanich by
identifying buildings, sites and landscape features that are part
of our history;
Share stories and historical materials from North Saanich’s
past;
Consider planned giving;
Celebrate Heritage Week each February;
Join us at our regular meetings in the Municipal Hall the first
Wednesday of every month at 10:00 a.m.
In connection with the Heritage Strategic Plan, the Commission
is seeking information on heritage resources in North Saanich.
If you know of buildings, sites or other historical resources that
might have heritage value, please contact the Heritage Advisory
Commission through email at [email protected] or call
(250) 655-5470.
You can also pick up a “Heritage Resource Nomination Form”
from the Planning and Community Services department or on-line
at the North Saanich website and return it to the Municipal Hall
upon completion.
North Saanich School, 1906
6
6
North Saanich
Heritage Advisory Commission
The role of the commission is to:

Enrich our community by recognizing and preserving heritage;
Promote an understanding of our heritage;
Encourage public stewardship through education;
Work closely with other similar organizations;
Advise Council on the
protection,
conservation
and
recognition of significant historical features of the unique
heritage of North Saanich, including structures, sites, trees,
animal, marine and plant life.
Commission Members
Members of the Heritage Advisory Commission are community
volunteers appointed by Council to two-year terms. A list of
members can be found on the District website under the Residents/
Heritage link.
North Saanich Hotel, 1912
7
7
What is Considered Heritage?
Buildings, sites, farms, roads, parks, trees, animals, marine plant
life or natural resources which contribute to the knowledge of our
community’s past are considered heritage.
North Saanich Methodist Church
Built in 1892 . Demolished in 1935.
Some examples of heritage are:
A place or site identified with an historical event or with a
person or group who significantly contributed to the culture
and social development of the municipality, province or nation;
A building that is outstanding for its architectural design,
detail, materials or craftsmanship;
A significant heritage vista, streetscape, or specific feature of
the landscape or a neighbourhood;
Trees, animals and indigenous plants that are special to North
Saanich.
8
8
Benefits of Community Heritage
Heritage conservation has many potential cultural, social and
economic benefits. Conserving heritage allows a community to retain
and convey a sense of its history and provides aesthetic enrichment
as well as educational opportunities. Heritage resources help us
understand where we have
come from so that we can
appreciate the continuity
in
our
environment.
Key landmark buildings,
historic
transportation
routes and heritage homes
all add to the vibrancy
and character of North
Saanich.
Deep Cove Chalet Picnic, 1915
Heritage conservation allows a community to retain and convey
a sense of its unique history;
A coordinated approach to heritage planning can take advantage
of partnership opportunities with senior levels of government
and engage the private and volunteer sectors;
Heritage initiatives have a strong positive impact on developing
complete communities;
The preservation of historical sites supports other public
objectives such as education and tourism;
Other benefits of heritage conservation include creating
distinctive neighbourhoods, preserving
providing community identity.
9
cultural
heritage
9
What is a Heritage Register?
A Heritage Register is a municipal list of properties recognized by
Council and adopted by resolution.
Benefits of Heritage Registry
The registered building, site or landscape feature is described
in a heritage inventory;
Being on the heritage register does not affect private ownership
and does not impede the purchase or sale of the property,
although a permit may be required for certain alterations;
Owners of registry buildings, sites and landscape features
may be eligible for assistance when undertaking structural,
stabilization, exterior restoration and repair.
The District of North Saanich provides the owner with a plaque
to identify the building, site, or landscape feature as a registered
heritage site.
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10
Heritage Designation
In addition to the heritage registry, houses, factories, barns, stables,
churches, schools and other types of real property, along with
cemeteries, bridges, public art, street furniture, cultural landscapes
and archaeological sites, can be designated under the Provincial
Heritage Act.
Heritage designation serves as Municipal and Provincial recognition
of a property’s historical value. A designated property receives a
plaque from the District marking it as a heritage property. There
are currently three designated sites in North Saanich: Nymph
Point Park, Holy Trinity Church and the Western Red Cedar at
Lillian Hoffar Park (2009).
Heritage designation also provides for a review and approval
process for any proposed changes (beyond basic maintenance) that
would impact on the heritage attributes that make the property
significant.
Benefits to the owner
Site will be listed in the B.C. Provincial Directory of Heritage
properties;
Owners will receive an oval plaque suitable for mounting on
their home;
Pride in helping preserve part of North Saanich’s community
heritage.
Designated property owners may be eligible for grants, tax rebates
and other financial incentives that become available from time to
time.
Designated private homes are not accessible to the public.
For information on heritage designation contact the District’s
Planning and Community Services Department at (250) 655-5470.
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11
Comparing a Heritage Register
with Heritage Designation
Planning tools available to local governments under the Local
Government Act.
R D
√
√
Owner retains full right to use and enjoy the property; normal
maintenance and upkeep are not affected.
√
√
Public is not permitted to trespass on the property against owner’s
wishes.
√
√
May establish eligibility for monetary and non-monetary assistance with
preservation. At this time North Saanich does not provide financial
incentives, but technical assistance is available from Building and
Planning staff.
√
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Property files at Municipal Hall are flagged so that:
Planning staff can review proposed changes; and
Potential purchasers can be informed about the heritage status of
the property.
√
√
Adopted by resolution of Council.
A list of properties deemed by Council to have heritage character or
value.
√
√
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Recognizes the heritage value of a historic place but does not provide
permanent legal protection.
√
A Heritage Alteration Permit is not required for proposed changes. If
changes would affect the heritage value of a listed property, staff may
temporarily delay issuing permits so that:
The matter can be referred to Council at its next meeting; and
Options for preservation can be discussed with the owner.
√
No notice placed on land title.
Adopted by Bylaw.
√
√
√
A site-specific bylaw that protects the exterior of the building(s) and may
also protect associated landscape or interior details that contribute to
heritage character or value.
√
Recognizes heritage value and provides permanent legal protection.
√
Notice on land title; protection runs with the land.
√
A Heritage Alteration Permit is required for proposed changes that
would affect the heritage value. District Staff would prepare a report
to Council outlining the proposed changes and any effects these may
have on the heritage value. Council may approve or deny a Heritage
Alteration Permit application.
√
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Experience our Heritage
A Guide to Heritage Sites
in North Saanich
Alice Horth, 1927
John and Margaret Downey, 1866
13
Heritage Sites
The following are Registered and Designated Heritage Sites
within the District of North Saanich:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Wain Park, Wain Road
R.O Bull Park, 467 Wain Road
Denham Till Park and Private Residence, 744 Birch Road
Lilian Hoffar Park, 10563 McDonald Park Road
Western Red-Cedar tree in Lillian Hoffar Park (designated
property)
6. Glamorgan Farm (private residence), 1805 Glamorgan Road
7. Mary Spencer House (private residence), 8916 Marshall
Road
8. Holy Trinity Anglican Church (designated property)
9. Holy Trinity Church Cemetery, 1319 Mills Road
10.Nymph Point Park (designated property)
11. Airport Northwest Camp Gate, Mills Road
12.Lomond Ferry (private residence), 9780 West Saanich Road
13.Horth Residence (private residence), 498 Downey Road
14.Holt Property (private residence), 453 Wain Road
15.Hodgson Residence (private residence), 11291 Ravenscroft
Place
16.Blaauw Pier, Madrona Drive
17.Chalet Beach, Chalet Road
18.Cy Hamspon Park, Lochside Drive
19.Gulf View Park, 8600 Block East Saanich Road
20.Patricia Bay Park, West Saanich Road
Please note: private residences are not open to the public.
14
Heritage Site Location Map
15
1. Wain Park
Municipally owned Wain Park is situated south of Birch Road and
north of Wain Road. The park is identified by a large wooden sign
hedgerows, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, a basketball
court and a large grassed soccer field. Wain Park, an important
green space in the North Saanich community, is associated with
the commemoration of British Columbia’s Centennial celebration.
The name of the park honours North Saanich pioneer, Henry Wain
(1826-1914), who had originally pre-empted lands nearby. Wain
was born in Kent, England, and immigrated to Canada in 1850
to work as a carpenter for the
Hudson’s Bay Company. He
first came to North Saanich
to build a barn. Wain liked
the area so he bought land to
farm. He continued to work as
a carpenter and helped to build
the Deep Cove Hall which was
on the North East corner of West Saanich and Wain Road. As
an entrepreneur he operated a tavern, the first North Saanich Post
Office, a stage coach between Deep Cove area and Victoria and had
eight children with his English wife Sarah.
Character Defining Elements
Setting within a low-density neighbourhood;
Mature specimen trees and hedge row plantings along the perimeter;
Large 1958 sign, made from wood and concrete, with commemorative
Centennial plaque and dogwood motif.
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2. R.O. Bull Park
The (municipally-owned) R.O. Bull Memorial Park is located at
the west end of Wain Road within the Deep Cove neighbourhood.
The park, which contains a stand of old growth forest, consisting
of Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar trees, grand Fir, Arbutus,
Western Yew is among the last remaining example of old growth
trees on the Saanich Peninsula.
These heritage trees, exceptional in size and age, are significant
living examples of North Saanich’s natural heritage. The R.O. Bull
Memorial Park was donated by family and friends of Col. Roland
Osborne Bull 1895-1972 and the park was dedicated to his memory.
Location west of Wain Road in the Deep Cove neighbourhood;
Remnants of old growth forest, including a full canopy of Western
Red Cedars and Douglas Firs of notable size and age.
17
3. Denham Till Park and Private Residence
The Denham Till Park and Residence is located on the north side
of Birch Road in North
Saanich. This heritage
site consists of a park
with quince, hazelnut and
apple trees, a playground
area, and a large grassed
lawn. The Denham Till
Residence, built circa 1928,
is an example of an Arts and
Crafts-inspired bungalow.
The Denham Till Park and Residence were
generously donated to the citizens of North
Saanich by Dora Madeline Till
(née Silva, 1888-1972) and her
husband Frederich Dunham Till
(1889-1959).
Picturesque setting amongst mature coniferous and deciduous trees;
Residential form, scale and massing of the house as expressed by
its one-storey height, hipped roof and three-quarter width open
veranda;
Construction materials of the house as expressed by its woodframe structure including exposed rafters, double-bevelled siding,
cornerboards and porch columns; external and internal red-brick
chimneys; windows such as its double-hung, 1-over-1 wooden sash
windows in single, double and triple assembly with diagonally-cut
window aprons;
Original interior features such as wood planking, hardboard
panelling, wooden floors and trim, and iron-spot tan brick fireplace;
One-storey, front-gabled garage.
18
4. Lillian Hoffar Park
Lillian Hoffar Park, located behind Kiwanis Village through a
gated lane off McDonald Park Road, is a 1.61 hectare waterfront
park located on Tsehum Harbour on the east side of the District
of North Saanich, close to the
boundary of Sidney. The site
is situated in an open grassy
meadow with a beach below.
It is surrounded by mature
indigenous and introduced trees
and shrubs, including a large
Western Red Cedar that displays
a
commemorative
plaque.
Lillian Hoffar Park is named for the prominent Hoffar family, who
willed the land to the District of North Saanich in 1978. Lillian
Hoffar Park is also valuable for its association with the Tsyecum
First Nation, one of four Saanich groups in the area and part of
the North Straits Coast Salish language group. Traditionally the
Tseycum First Nation moved to different resource areas throughout
the year, settling in permanent homes in the Tsyecum Harbour for
the winter months. The site at Lillian Hoffar Park was part of the
ancestral winter village of the Tsyecum.
Location on the east shore of North Saanich, with views of Tsehum
Harbour and Haro Strait;
Picturesque setting amongst mature coniferous and deciduous trees;
Remains of the Hoffar residency including shoreline concrete retaining
wall, boat house foundation, remnant garden beds and rough cut rock
wall surrounds fruit trees and perennial plants and boat launch/marine
ways;
Associated landscape features such as mature deciduous and coniferous
trees and mature Western Red Cedar with a commemorative plaque.
19
5. Western Red Cedar at Lillian Hoffar Park
The multi-stemmed Western red-cedar is a dominant feature
of Lillian Hoffar Park. The tree has scientific, aesthetic and
archeological value because of its size, age, unique character, and
location. It is situated on the property of Lillian Hoffar Park and
overlooks part of Shoal Harbour Bird sanctuary.
Location on the east shore of North Saanich, with views of Tsehum
Harbour and Haro Strait;
Commemorative plaque on trees.
20
6. Glamorgan Farm (Private Residence)
Glamorgan Farm is a 3.4 hectare agricultural property that contains a
compound of eleven log and wood-frame structures located on a treed
knoll. The structures include a
log residence, massive log barns,
wood-frame and log barns and
sheds for hay and livestock. The
setting for this working farm
includes paddocks, fenced yards
for animals, grassed fields, mature
trees, shrubs and plantings, and a double row of Lombardy poplars
that line the entry drive. This unique cluster of massive log barns is
a visual landmark in the area. Glamorgan
Farm is a link with the agricultural history
of North Saanich.
Originally part of a 500 acre farm which
was purchased by Richard John who named
it for the county in Wales where he was
born. In 1919 Glamorgan was purchased
by Sam Matson, a Victoria business man
Quince Blossoms from 100 year
who
developed an excellent dairy herd of
old Quince Tree on Glamorgan
Farm.
Jersey cattle.
Collection of agricultural buildings that form an intact farm compound,
including a residence, massive barns and other functional structures
that support a working farm which has remained in continuous
agricultural use;
Two-storey cross-shaped barn; Matson Jersey barn; Three-storey hay
Barn; One-storey log hay barn with a gabled roof;
Farm worker’s house, a log structure with a hipped roof and symmetrical
hipped dormers;
Other wood-frame agricultural buildings such as a chicken coop,
smaller barns and sheds;
Associated landscape features such as paddocks and fenced yards,
Lombardy poplars lining the entry drive, Garry Oak, an ancient
flowering quince and various mature trees and shrubs.
21
7. The Mary Spencer Residence (Private Residence)
The Mary Spencer Residence is a small one-storey, wood-frame,
Foursquare ‘kit house’ with a bellcast hipped roof, wooden lapped
siding and a side bay window. Built in 1913, the house is located
on the west side of Marshall Road, and has extensive views of Haro
Strait, Sidney Island and the San Juan Islands. The heritage value
of Mary Spencer Residence is associated with the settlement of
North Saanich. The Mary Spencer Residence is also significant for
its origins as an innovative prefabricated or ‘ready-cut’ structure,
commonly known as
a ‘kit house. Mary
Spencer (1853-1921)
had the house built
after she became a
widow.
Residential form, scale and massing as expressed by its symmetrical
one-storey height, with foursquare plan an bellcast roof;
Wood-frame construction including lapped siding and cornerboards;
Internal red-brick chimney with corbelled top;
Double-hung 1-over-1 wooden sash windows in single assembly and
fixed casement windows;
Original interior features such as hardwood floors, interior doors and
north facing cool cupboard;
Original shed with bargeboards, cedar shingle siding and multi-paned
wooden frame windows;
Associated landscape features including ornamental plum trees.
22
8. Holy Trinity Anglican Church (Designated Property)
This church building and land immediately surrounding the Church
are significant due to their spiritual and historical association with
the early European residents of North Saanich. The Church,
consecrated in 1885, was built on land donated by George Mills.
The building was constructed with timber brought by raft from
Genoa Bay. Local pioneers worked on the foundation; the church
was designed by John Teaque, a prolific Victoria architect.
Continuous use as an Anglican church since 1885;
Ecclesiastical form, scale and massing;
Wood-frame construction with original wooden drop siding;
Gothic Revival detailing; Arts and Crafts details;
Early wooden front doors at the north entrance with iron strap hinges;
Windows: Gothic pointed-arch windows with diamond-leaded panes;
Interior features such as original pew, exposed scissor trusses;
Original side-gabled lych gate of wood-frame construction, with
Tudor Revival detailing, cedar shingled roof, heavy timber posts,
built-in benches and scalloped bargeboards;
Associated picturesque rural cemetery with numerous unique
monuments and headstones.
23
9. Holy Trinity Cemetery
Set on a flat terrain overlooking Patricia Bay, historic Holy Trinity
Cemetery is a picturesque burial ground. It is situated at the
junction of Mills and West Saanich
Road, immediately surrounding Holy
Trinity Church. The Holy Trinity
Cemetery is the only European
cemetery in North Saanich and is
linked with the development of Holy
Trinity Church and the pioneer
community of North Saanich. The
cemetery is situated on land donated to the church by local farmer,
George Mills (1835-1888) who was the first resident to be buried on
the grounds. Noted pioneers buried here include William Towner
(1840-1925, Richard John (died 1892) and Alice Horth (née Wain,
1858-1945). Members of the Canadian Forces, the RCMP and
various other military organizations are also resting here.
Holy Trinity Cemetery also features many decorative and unique
monuments and headstones, in materials such as sandstone, granite
and marble that capture the fundamental nature of its origins as a
picturesque Victorian cemetery. Additionally, two trees, an English
Oak from Windsor Great Park and a Scots Pine from Kew Gardens,
London were planted to mark the coronation of King George VI in
1937.
Open expanse of lawn with traditional Victorian cemetery plantings
such as flowering plum and cherry trees, Garry Oak, English Oak,
American Elm, Copper Beech, Birch and Coulter Pine;
Commemorative plantings: Royal English Oak and a Scots Pine
planted in 1937;
Gravestone materials: carved granite, sandstone and marble;
Gravestone styles: shouldered and domed headstones and flat
plaques and slate-faced markers and column types such as obelisks;
Gravestone symbols: epitaphs, religious and plant/floral motifs.
24
10. Nymph Point Park (Designated Property)
This small waterfront park is located on Tsehum Harbour,
immediately south of Sidney and North Saanich Yacht Club
property. The park is largely in a natural state with walking trails,
benches and two commemorative plaques mounted on boulders.
The place is significant to the First Nations people. The property
features mature trees, natural setting and views.
Location in Tsehum Harbour with views of Haro Strait;
Terraced sandstone topography surrounded by indigenous coniferous
and deciduous trees, including Arbutus and Douglas Fir trees;
Introduced features such as walking trails and benches;
Commemorative plaques set into boulders.
25
11. Airport North West Camp Gate
The Airport Northwest Camp Gate consists of two square concrete
gate posts situated on the north side of the Victoria International
Airport, adjacent to Mills Road. The gate posts originally marked
the entryway to the Northwest Camp of the Patricia Bay Royal
Canadian Air Force Station Operations Training Facility. The
design of the Airport Northwest Camp Gate exemplifies a
regimented functionality and the emerging modernistic styles of the
1940s. With their square shape, pyramidal tops, chamfered corners
and incised lines on the top portion, these commemorative gate
posts reflect the abandonment of traditional architectural motifs
and a reliance on pure form and unadorned surfaces. Recessed areas
on each of the gateposts once featured name plaques.
Camp Base, R.C.A.F. 1941
Form, scale and massing as expressed by two cast concrete square
columns with iron gate hinge pins;
Minimal functional design such as a smooth surface with double
incised lines at the top sections of the gate, pyramidal top and
chamfered corners and recessed areas which formerly featured name
plaques.
26
12. Lomond Ferry (Private Residence)
Otherwise known as The White House, Lomond Ferry is a tall,
two and one-half storey wood-frame Foursquare residence, that
displays the influence of the
Classical Revival style. This
large farmhouse is a landmark
along West Saanich Road.
In 1910 Alfred Hudson built
a small summer cottage on
this site. In 1912, the site was
acquired by Andrew Cox, a
Scottish emigrant. Cox returned
to Scotland that year, but
came back to North Saanich
with his five children in 1917
after the death of his wife. He
incorporated the cottage into
this nine-room home, which he
named Lomond Ferry.
Residential Foursquare form, scale and massing;
Classical Revival features including symmetrical massing, a central
front entry and boxed eaves with regular paired brackets;
Wood-frame construction including narrow lapped wooden siding
with cornerboards;
Masonry construction, including rubble foundations and internal redbrick chimney.
27
13. Horth Residence (Private Residence)
The Horth Residence is a two storey, wood-frame Arts and Crafts
house, set on a large lot at the corner of Downey Road and Deep
Cove Road in North Saanich. The Horth Residence, built in 191213, is named for the Horth and the Wain families, pioneer settlers
of North Saanich. It was built as a home for Rufus Philip Horth
(1849-1917) and Alice Maud Horth (née Wain, 1858-1945). The
Horth Residence is also a fine example of the Arts and Crafts
architecture that was typical of the Edwardian era.
The Horth family raised ten children and had many lively family
gatherings at this home. It was usual to pose for family photos
under the still magnificent maple trees.
Original Horth House, circa 1920
Horth House, 2008
Residential form, scale and massing - symmetrical two storey plus full
basement height, front-gabled roof with symmetrical side wall dormers,
projecting semi-octagonal bay window and front open verandah with
hipped roof, lathe-turned columns and closed balustrades;
Wood-frame construction including narrow lapped wooden siding at
the main floor level and cedar shingles at the foundation level and in
the gable ends;
Arts and Crafts features - triangular eave brackets, open soffits with
exposed rafter ends and stained glass panels;
Internal red-brick chimney with corbelled top;
Original interior features;
Associated outbuildings - a small barn with cedar shingle siding and
multi-paned wooden sash windows; and early shingled garage;
Associated landscape features including many mature trees and
shrubs such as maple trees, acacias, perimeter plantings, orchard
remnants and hollies.
28
14. Holt Property (Private Residence)
The Holt Property is located in the Deep Cove area of North
Saanich, and consists of a complex of wood-frame structures that
comprise a working country estate. This Property is valued as a
rare example of a complex of early structures that illustrate the
settlement patterns of Deep Cove, and the area’s change over time
from a summertime resort community to a semi-rural residential
neighbourhood. The cottage was built just before the inauguration
of the British Columbia Electric
Saanich Interurban line in 1913, which
provided easy access for vacationing
Victoria residents. It is typical of
the type of summer resort cottage
constructed prior to the First World
War. The main house, the first part
of which appears to have been built
Cottage Circa 1911
in 1917, indicates the enduring
popularity of the Craftsman style. The
site consists of a collection of early
buildings that are not only a testament
to the site’s growth and development
over time but also serve as a tangible
reminder of agricultural use and
genteel country living in the North
Saanich community.
House Circa 1917
Continuous residential and agricultural use;
Collection of early residential buildings and complementary functional
structures;
Gable-roofed, wood-frame pumphouse;
Associated landscape features such as: mature orchard remnants
including pear and plum trees; massive Horse Chestnut and Cedar
trees; garden setting that includes old specimen rose bushes including
an early Peace Rose; a massive mature Oak; numerous rare trees and
shrubs; and the woodland edge to the east that borders R.O. Bull Park.
29
15. Hodgson Residence (Private Residence)
Situated on the east side of Ravenscroft Place in the district of
North Saanich, the Hodgson Residence is a one-and-one half
storey, wood-frame Arts and Crafts bungalow. The house is
distinguished by a sidegabled roof, an inset verandah and wide rustic
siding. Originally situated on Marine Drive in West Vancouver, the
Hodgson Residence was relocated to North Saanich in 2005, and
is set in a location that offers expansive views of Colburne Passage.
Constructed in 1913, the Hodgson Residence is valued as the home
of prominent British Columbia architect, Hugh A. Hodgson. This
served as the Hodgson family residence for many decades. The
Hodgson Residence is additionally valued as a superior example of
an Arts and Crafts bungalow, and demonstrates Hugh Hodgson’s
proficiency with the style.
Hodgson House - Constructed 1913
West Vancouver Museum & Archives
Hodgson Residence 2010
Continuous residential use;
Residential form, scale and massing of the house as expressed by its
one and one-half-storey height; side-gabled roof with front shed and
gable dormers; asymmetrical massing and inset corner porch;
Arts and Crafts-style details;
Windows such as: wooden-sash casement windows in triple assembly
with leaded transoms; and leaded wooden sash casement windows;
Original front door with strap hinges, leaded glass inset and original
hardware;
Original interior features such as: wooden floors and trim; stained fir
panelling; coffered ceilings; and built-in cabinetry with leaded glass.
30
16. Blaauw Pier
Blaauw Pier is situated in Deep Cove, off Madrona Drive in the
District of North Saanich. The pier is owned by the District of
North Saanich, and consists of a long deck, supported on wooden
pilings, which extends out into the cove.
Blaauw Pier is a testament to the sustained popularity of Deep Cove
as a recreational area. Deep Cove, originally known as Deep Bay,
became a popular destination for short
escapes from the city, starting with the
inauguration of the British Columbia
Electric Railway Saanich Interurban line
in 1913.
Further significance is attained through
this historic structure’s association with
the North Saanich community, and with
resident Bill Blaauw. The first wharf on
Deep Cove was constructed in the 1920s;
however, it fell into disrepair and the new
Government
Wharf
was
constructed in 1965. It was
significant as the only dock in the
Deep Cove area that provided
access for boaters and fishermen.
Location at the water’s edge, on the rocky west shore of North
Saanich, with views of the Saanich Inlet;
Picturesque setting on the shallow calm waters of Deep Cove;
Ongoing public use;
Heavy timber frame construction of the pier with wooden pilings,
planking and braces.
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17. Chalet Beach
Chalet Beach is a west-facing pebble beach accessed off Chalet
Road, in the District of North Saanich. It is situated on a small
semicircular bay with expansive westerly views of Saanich Inlet,
Mill Bay, Cowichan Bay and the mouth of Sansum Narrows; the
old Deep Cove Chalet is adjacent to the beach. It is significant for
its association with the recreational and social history of Victoria.
The advent of the British Columbia Electric Railway Saanich
Interurban line service in 1913 resulted in Deep Cove becoming a
popular leisure destination. The BCER designed and constructed
the Deep Cove Chalet in 1913 as a tourist draw. Presently, Chalet
Beach continues to be a popular picnic spot, and attracts kayakers
and swimmers.
Chalet Beach is also
valuable for its association
with the Tseycum First
Nation, one of four
Saanich groups in the area
and part of the Northern
Straits
Coast
Salish
language group.
Location on the west shore of North Saanich, with views of Saanich
Inlet;
Ongoing public use for recreation;
Picturesque setting on the shallow calm waters of Deep Cove;
Remains of boat launch/marine ways;
Associated landscape features such as mature deciduous and coniferous
trees;
First Nations archaeological sites.
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18. Cy Hampson Park
Cy Hampson Park is a 3.5-hectare waterfront municipal park located
on Lochside Drive, between the waterfront and Patricia Bay Highway
in North Saanich. The park contains a flat open grassed area with
a wheelchair accessible walking trail and pathways that lead to a
pebble beach. Cy Hampson Park is significant as a testament to the
public will of the North Saanich community to preserve landscapes
for recreational and cultural use. The District of North Saanich
first established the park in 1976 as Bazan Bay Park. Additionally,
it is significant for its commemoration of local naturalist, Dr.
Cyril (Cy) G.Hampson, who owned property adjacent to the park.
The park gains further value as the original
location and eastern section of the Dominion
Experimental Station in North Saanich, one
of numerous nationally-based experimental
farms founded by Dominion Experimental
Farms. Established
in 1886, the program
set out to test and
modernize farming
practices as a model
for farmers across
Canada.
Location east of Lochside Drive, parallel to the waterfront;
Continuous public use for recreation since 1976;
Inclusion as part of Lochside Regional Trail;
Open spatial qualities including a large grassed area with wheelchair
accessible trails;
Maintenance of connection to the waterfront through two trails that
lead to a terraced picnic location and a pebble beach;
Large wooden sign marking entrance to park supported by rough
dressed granite columns.
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19. Gulf View Park
Gulf View Park is a one-hectare municipal park located east of East
Saanich Road, on the eastern area of the peninsula in the District
of North Saanich. The park features a flat-grassed area with picnic
amenities and is surrounded by large deciduous and coniferous trees.
The park offers views to the east of Bazan Bay, the southern Gulf
Islands, the San Juan Islands, and Mount Baker. Gulf View Park
is valued as an early representation of the strong will of the North
Saanich community to preserve land and viewscapes for public use
and recreation. A community campaign was initiated in the 1930s
to purchase the site, known as Experimental Farm Hill. Gulf View
Park attains further value for serving as a National Gravity Net
Station, which is marked with a metal plaque at the west slope of
the site.
Continuous public use since 1936;
Waterfront views to Bazan Bay, the southern Gulf Islands, the San
Juan Islands and Mount Baker;
Open spatial qualities including: access via gravel road; flat-grassed
area; picnic tables and a bench; and large deciduous and coniferous
trees;
Hexagonal board-formed concrete foundations;
Metal tag marked with “National Gravity Net Station” in English and
French.
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20. Patricia Bay Park
Patricia Bay Park is a waterfront park, with open views of Patricia
Bay and the Saanich Inlet, located on the west side of the Saanich
Peninsula in the District of North Saanich. The park, which is at the
south end of the Scoter Trail, contains an information kiosk, picnic
tables and washrooms with wheelchair accessible paved trails that
lead to a gently sloped beach. Patricia Bay, formerly Union Bay, was
originally settled by the Tseycum First Nation, one of four Saanich
groups in the area and part of the Northern Straits Coast Salish
language group. The park is valued for its ties to transportation and
the waterfront, and their pivotal role in the development of North
Saanich. The site is also tied to the development of the Victoria
International Airport and military aviation efforts during the
Second World War. In 1937, the airport
was developed as one of six Royal Canadian
Air Force Station training facilities on
Vancouver Island.
Location west of West Saanich Road, at the west foot of Mills Road;
Ongoing public use for recreation;
Open spatial qualities including grassed area that slopes down to the
beach, and direct views to the west and of sunsets;
Proximity to Victoria International Airport to the east and the
seaplane terminal to the south;
Waterfront access to Patricia Bay and beach, with paved trail with
picnic tables and restrooms, and access to Scoter Trail.
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History of North Saanich
The District of North Saanich is located at the north end of the
Saanich Peninsula approximately 25 kilometres north of Victoria,
British Columbia along the southeast corner of Vancouver Island.
The District is surrounded on three sides by 20 kilometres of ocean
shoreline, and is home to the Victoria International Airport and
the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.
The District is part of the traditional territory of the Wsanec
(Saanich) First Nation, who sold it to Governor James Douglas
in 1852.
Settlement began in the 1860s when farmers were attracted by the
mild climate, good soil and gentle topography.
In 1894, the Victoria and Sidney Railway (V&S) began running
up the middle of the peninsula, giving farmers a way to get their
produce to market.
Aberavon Farm, 1895
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The community was thriving, and in July 1905, North Saanich,
then including the townsite of Sidney, was incorporated, with the
original Municipal Hall located in Sidney. Lacking population
and a firm tax base, the municipality was dissolved in 1911 but
continued as a successful farming community. From 1913 to 1924,
the BC Electric Railway Company (BCER) ran an interurban train
from Victoria to the north end of the peninsula at Deep Bay (now
Deep Cove). A third railway, Canadian Northern Pacific Railway
(C.N.R.), operated from 1917 to 1919 as a passenger service, then
as a freight service until 1935. The name of this railway (Ca-NoRa) is preserved in the name of the road (“Canora Road”) that now
runs along its old route just southeast of the airport.
In
1940,
Victoria
Airport was selected as a
military forces base and
the area boomed with
the influx of military
personnel, which led
to incorporation of
the Village of Sidney
in 1952. Four years
later 2,865 residents
of the North Saanich
unorganized
area,
Staff of Experimental Farm, 1927 requested that letters
patent be issued to
form the “North Saanich Fire Prevention District” with power to
own property, to tax and to borrow. In 1965, after a favourable
public vote, the letters patent were withdrawn and the North
Saanich Municipal District was established with offices at the
present location on Mills Road.
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The peninsula is now divided into North Saanich, Sidney, Central
Saanich and Saanich. Several institutional industries are located
in North Saanich, including the Institute of Ocean Sciences, the
Marine Technology Centre, the Centre for Plant Health and
the Saanich Peninsula Wastewater Treatment Plant. Today, the
community neighbourhoods in North Saanich including Ardmore,
Deep Cove, Curteis Point, Cloake Hill/Green Park, Dean Park and
the South East Quadrant, are on the periphery of an agricultural
interior protected by the Provincial Agricultural Land Reserve.
Agriculture is very important to the municipality, as evidenced in
the number of farms, and road-side produce and flower stands. The
District currently has two First Nations communities, the Tseycum
and the Pauquachin, adjacent to the municipal boundaries.
Although the peninsula was heavily logged there are remnants of
original Garry Oak and Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystems which
once covered the peninsula.
R.C.A.F. West Camp barracks under construction, 1941
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Reference Material
Conversations with Our Past: Stories of North Saanich.
Script by Ann Saddlemyer.
Published by the North Saanich Heritage Advisory
Commission, 2006.
A History of Holy Trinity Church, Patricia Bay, North
Saanich, B.C.
Edited by A.L.C. Atkinson, 1967.
History of North and South Saanich: Pioneers and District.
By Victor E. Virgin. Second edition, revised 1978.
North Saanich: Memories and Pioneers.
By Nell Horth. 1988.
Sacred Heart: John Dean Provincial Park
By Jarrett Thomas Teague, 2004.
The Story of Sidney. By Peter Grant. 1998.
District of North Saanich Heritage Strategic Plan
Donald Luxton & Associates Inc., 2007.
District of North Saanich Statement of Significance
Donald Luxton & Associates Inc., 2008.
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North Saanich, 1935
District of North Saanich
1620 Mills Road
North Saanich, BC V8L 5S9
Phone: 250-655-5470
Fax: 250-656-0792
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.northsaanich.ca