History of Oak Bay website

[amor de cosmos]

this is a cool site. It's where I found out that Oak Bay had only 5 owners at one point, for example: Joe Pemberton, the HBC, John Tod, Bill McNeill, & the first woman landowner, Isabella Ross.
http://www.webturf.com/oakbay/history/

[VicHockeyFan]

I learned the origin of Shady Lane.

Too bad Oak Bay already has that as I was going to propose that for a renamed 800-blk Cormorant St.

[Mike K.]

I haven't perused every nook and cranny of that site, but is there mention of Oak Bay's once lower middle class existence? Present-day Oak Bayer's seem to relish the fact they live behind an imaginary tweed curtain but most have forgotten that many of their hoods were once havens for Victoria's newly arrived immigrants and working poor during the mid 20th Century.

[amor de cosmos]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

I haven't perused every nook and cranny of that site, but is there mention of Oak Bay's once lower middle class existence? Present-day Oak Bayer's seem to relish the fact they live behind an imaginary tweed curtain but most have forgotten that many of their hoods were once havens for Victoria's newly arrived immigrants and working poor during the mid 20th Century.

I know the Uplands was created on purpose for rich white guys. That's what the minimum lot size & minimum square-footage rules were about, since they were the only ones who could afford the lots. The rest of Oak Bay I have no idea about.

[Holden West]

For every every exclusive Uplands homeowner there were many more newcomers with little money that lived in rental suites in large homes and small cottages--many near the waterfront (before the giant beach homes were built). Oak Bay was more working class than the propagandists would have you believe.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by Holden West

For every every exclusive Uplands homeowner there were many more newcomers with little money that lived in rental suites in large homes and small cottages--many near the waterfront (before the giant beach homes were built). Oak Bay was more working class than the propagandists would have you believe.

Look at how tiny the houses are (were?) on the water at Harling Point. Here is one for a million dollars that has a grand total of 875 finished sq. ft, plus that again in the basement. A bargain at any price I say!

http://donmitchellrealestate.com/lis...lding_id=75470

"First time on the market in 80 YEARS!" I'm guessing it was built for $3000 or less.

[Holden West]

Uplands was one of the first examples of what we now call "zoning".

[amor de cosmos]

Originally Posted by Holden West

For every every exclusive Uplands homeowner there were many more newcomers with little money that lived in rental suites in large homes and small cottages--many near the waterfront (before the giant beach homes were built). Oak Bay was more working class than the propagandists would have you believe.

I guess they were/are between the Vic golf club & Foul Bay? Those houses & lots are both tiny, like the houses on Cordova Bay.