Oak Bay, British Columbia

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Oak Bay
	(Flag of British Columbia)
Location of Oak Bay within the Capital Regional District in British Columbia, Canada
Area	10.38 km² (4 sq mi)
Population	17,908 (2006 census)
Pop'n density	1,724.7/km² (4,467/sq mi)
Location	48°25′36″N, 123°19′3″W
Elevation	~10 metres
Incorporation	1906
Province	British Columbia
Regional District	Capital Regional District
MP	Denise Savoie (NDP)
MLA	Ida Chong (BC Liberal)
Mayor	Christopher Causton
Governing Body	Oak Bay Municipal Council
Time zone	Pacific
Postal code	V8R - V8S
Area Code	250
The Corpration of the District of Oak Bay
British Columbia Portal

Oak Bay is a municipality in the Capital Regional District on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is an upscale suburb east of and adjacent to the city of Victoria. The population of Oak Bay was 17,798 in the 2001 census. The current mayor is Christopher Causton, re-elected in 2005 by acclamation. Oak Bay is stereotyped throughout Victoria as a hold-out for older residents and wealthy people, because of a combination of a few things:

• The upscale area of the Uplands, Victoria, a well-established exclusive residential neighbourhood featuring underground wiring, uniform lamp posts, and many multi-million-dollar houses, including stately 1900s mansions of the Arts and Crafts and Faux Tudor styles as well as new upscale construction. The neighbourhood is known for its large private gardens, sweeping views of Haro Strait, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Mt. Baker and the Olympic Mountains. Some of the waterfront residential properties in the Uplands count themselves amongst the most expensive private residential real estate in North America. The Uplands subdivision was developed by the Guiness family of Ireland (and beer) fame.
• Well-maintained homes with equally well-tended gardens throughout much of the municipality.
• A large number of retirement homes and communities (in fact, many of the municipality's most controversial issues have involved the construction and/or renovation of upscale retirement condominiums),
• Travelling to Oak Bay, within Victoria is referred to as "going behind the tweed curtain", a reference to Oak Bay's association to England. Oak Bay has multitudes of English-style tea rooms, restaurants, antique shops, and other establishments geared towards seniors, and
• A long-standing opposition to large commercial development.

Oak Bay takes its name from the Garry Oak tree, which are plentiful throughout the region. It is also the name of the large bay on the Eastern shore of the municipality, fronting onto Willows Beach. The epicentre of Oak Bay is the quaint Oak Bay Village along Oak Bay Avenue.

Oak Bay's motto, from its coat of arms, is Sub Quercu Felicitas, Latin for Under the Oak, Good Fortune.

Contents 1 History 2 Neighbourhoods 3 Education 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, Oak Bay was home to the local Coast Salish people of the Songhees First Nation. Evidence of their encampments has been found along local shores, including Willows Beach. Following the establishment of Fort Victoria on the Inner Harbour, the Hudson's Bay Company established Cadboro Bay Farm to supply food for the small settlement. Cattle Point, where cattle were brought ashore to avoid taxes, between Cadboro Bay and Willows Beach recalls the early history of this area. Early European settlers of the area included John Tod, whose home still stands and is reputed to be haunted.

Originally developed as a middle class streetcar suburb of Victoria, Oak Bay was incorporated as a municipality in 1906. Its first Council included Francis Rattenbury, the architect who designed the Legislative Buildings and Empress Hotel located on the inner harbour in Victoria. Rattenbury's own home on Beach Drive is now used as the junior campus for Glenlyon Norfolk School. In the 1920s the former farm lands of the Hudson's Bay Company were subdivided to create the Uplands area, but development was hampered by the Great Depression. After World War II development of expensive homes in the Uplands was accompanied by the construction of many more modest dwellings in the Estevan, Willows and South Oak Bay neighbourhoods. In addition to being an attractive retirement area, Oak Bay has also long appealed to families with young children. Oak Bay boasts a sandy beach (Willows Beach), the Oak Bay Marina and the Royal Victoria Yacht Club located on the shore of Cadboro Bay.

The largest Public Secondary School on Vancouver Island, Oak Bay Secondary School, is located in the municipality.

Half the expansive campus of the University of Victoria (founded in 1963) is located within the boundaries of the District of Oak Bay. The other half is found in the adjacent District of Saanich.

The Victoria Golf Club is located in South Oak Bay. It was founded in 1893, and is the second oldest golf course west of the Great Lakes. It is a challenging 6000 yard links course which hugs the oceanside, and is considered the Pebble Beach of Canada.

[edit] Neighbourhoods

• Gonzales
• Uplands
• Willows Beach
• Windsor Park

[edit] Education

Oak Bay is within Greater Victoria School District. Two public elementary schools, Willows Elementary School and Monterey Elementary School, as well as Oak Bay Secondary School, a comprehensive public high school, are located within Oak Bay, as are the private junior schools for Glenlyon Norfolk School and St. Michael's University School.

[edit] References

• Community Profile: Oak Bay District Municipality, British Columbia; Statistics Canada

[edit] External links

• The Corporation of the District of Oak Bay

• Oak Bay Tourism

• The History of the Municipality of Oak Bay, by G. Murdoch, taken from the Corporation of the District of Oak Bay website

• Oak Bay News

v • d • e Neighbourhoods in Greater Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria	Chinatown • Cook Street Village • East Burnside-Gorge • Fairfield • Fernwood • Harris Green • Hillside • Humboldt Valley • James Bay • Jubilee • North Park • Rockland • Victoria West
Saanich	Beaver Lake-Elk Lake • Broadmead-Sunnymead • Cadboro Bay • Cedar Hill • Cloverdale • Cordova Bay • Glanford • Gordon Head • Gorge-Tillicum • Interurban • Lake Hill • Maplewood • Marigold • Mount Douglas • Mount Tolmie-Lansdowne • Prospect Lake • Royal Oak • Strawberry Vale • Swan Lake • Ten Mile Point • Town and Country-Burnside • West Saanich
Other areas	Belmont Park • Brentwood Bay • Broom Hill • Cloak Hill • Colwood Corners • Craigflower • Dean Park • Deep Cove • Durrance Lake • East Sooke • Florence Lake • Glen Lake • Goldstream • Gonzales • Gorge Vale • Happy Valley • Hatley Park • Island View • Kemp Lake • Lands End • Luxton • Matheson Lake • Mill Hill • Millstream • Otter Point • Pat Bay • Ravenwood • Rockheights • Rocky Point • Saanichton • Saseenos • Songhees • Swartz Bay • Thetis Lake • Uplands • Whiffen Spit • William Head • Willis Point • Willows Beach • Windsor Park • Work Point