Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, our final letter for our 2017 Challenge posts:  Z is for Menzies Street!  This has been a fun one this year – and I am looking forward to continuing my Welcome to James Bay posts on a regular (albeit not Daily!) basis. See you soon!!

Here is a Google map showing where Menzies Street is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Menzies Street:

Menzies is one of the main streets in James Bay and stretches from Dallas Road all the way to the Inner Harbour at Belleville.  I had to showcase Menzies because of its status as our main street, and also because it’s the only street in James Bay with a “z” in it.

From http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/Neighbourhoods/jamesbayhistory.html:

“Another fashionable residential area was Menzies Street opposite the Birdcages and the south side of Belleville Street facing the harbour where a number of industrialists and sea captains chose to build. Their view of the harbour was unobstructed until about 1900, when the CPR decided to move its shipping terminal there from Wharf St. Fairview (demolished) on the corner of Menzies and Quebec Streets was best known as the home of Robert and Joan Dunsmuir before they built Craigdarroch Castle (1050 Joan Cr, Rockland). Starting in the late 1950s, Fairview and most of the houses along Belleville were replaced by motels, except on one block. ”

This was Fairview, long gone now (from http://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/fairview-at-southwest-corner-of-menzies-and-quebec-streets-robert-dunsmuirs-home-in-victoria-before-building-craigdarroch-castle)

I am ending the challenge with a street that does have a few heritage houses on it:

• 15 Menzies: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Menzies15.html
• 29 Menzies (we wanted to buy this one awhile back): http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Menzies29.html
• 60 Menzies: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Menzies60.html
• 401 Menzies (a cool-looking old carriage house): http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Menzies401.html
• 421 Menzies – The Drill Hall: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Menzies421.html

Menzies Street is also home to many businesses (including coffee shops, a sushi place, liquor store, Chinese restaurant, yoga studio, etc.) as well as some new construction behind the Legislature. The parking lot between Kingston and Superior is home to the James Bay Community Market (http://www.jamesbaymarket.com/) on Saturdays between the beginning of May and the end of September.

Finally, at the end of Menzies at Belleville is where you will find the horses and carriages waiting to take you on a tour of James Bay or downtown Victoria.  Clop, clop, clop is a familiar sounds down our own street during tourist season!

Here are some pictures I took along Menzies Street.  I’m keeping this short as this has been a LONG post for a LONG street!

On the block before Dallas Road.

And, at the other end, down towards Belleville:

What else do you want to know about Menzies Street?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter Z of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-30-2017-letter-z.html.

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!  And this is the second-last day of the challenge.  I can’t believe I’ve almost made it for the 4th year in a row!!

Today, Y is for Young Street!

Here is a Google map showing where Young Street is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Young Street:

Young Street is a, wait for it, one-block street running from Toronto (see T) and Michigan.  On one side of Young are tall apartment/condo buildings, and on the other side are the backs and garages of houses that front onto Government Street.

I don’t know anything else about Young Street, as there are no houses actually ON Young, so therefore no heritage houses.  Just another back alley with a name.

Here are some pictures I took of Young Street.

Young Street at Toronto

Looking down towards Michigan

Guess “No Parking” means something different on Young Street…

Looking back towards Toronto (it’s the sunny side…)

What else do you want to know about Young Street?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter Y of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-29-2017-letter-y.html.  Stay tuned for Z is for... I guess tomorrow, even thought it’s Sunday, ’cause it’s the last letter of the challenge, and tomorrow is the last day of April!!

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, X is for Luxton Avenue !

Here is a Google map showing where Luxton Avenue is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Luxton Avenue:

Luxton is one-block long (surprise!) and runs from Boyd Street where it dead-ends at a park which takes you, if you’re on foot, to Lewis (see L).  Luxton is also the name of a road and Fairgrounds out by Langford (http://www.luxtonfair.ca/).

There is one heritage house on Luxton, at 416 (http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Luxton416.html).

Here are some pictures I took of Luxton Avenue.

Let’s head to Luxton from Lewis Street…

The entrance to Luxton.

Looking down Luxton

What else do you want to know about Luxton Avenue?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter X of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-28-2017-letter-x.html.  Stay tuned for Y is for... tomorrow!!

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, W is for Berwick Street!  Hey, there’s a W there!

Here is a Google map showing where Berwick Street is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Berwick Street:

Berwick is yet another one-block street in our neighbourhood.  It starts at Boyd Street and dead-ends before reaching San Jose (see J).  And this time, there is no escape, even by foot, except to turn around and head back out to Boyd Street.  I always wondering what people living on streets like Berwick think when you drive or walk down their streets knowing full well that they dead-end.

Yeah, that’s all I got folks.  I have no idea where the name came from, and I have no interesting facts about Berwick Street.  There are a bunch of retirement homes around Victoria and the Island called Berwick, but they probably have nothing to do with the street…

Here are some pictures I took of Berwick Street.

That’s all there is, folks…

And just to pad things a bit, here is a telephone pole at the entrance to Berwick:

What else do you want to know about Berwick Street?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter W of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-27-2016-letter-w.html.  Stay tuned for X is for... tomorrow!!

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, V is for Violet Lane!

Here is a Google map showing where Violet Lane is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Violet Lane:

Violet Lane is another one-block street which runs from Thetis Lane to St. Andrews.  I’m not really sure how it ranks street status, when it is really more like a back alley.   But, I guess that what makes it kind of an interesting street to add to this challenge.  Plus, it actually begins with V!  Oh, and I should mention – didn’t see any violets…

Here are some pictures I took of Violet Lane.

At the Thetis Lane end.

Looking towards St. Andrews

Looking back the other way…

…from the St. Andrews end.

What else do you want to know about Violet Lane?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter V of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-26-2017-letter-v.html.  Stay tuned for W is for... tomorrow!!

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, U is for Huron Street (sure it is!)!

Here is a Google map showing where Huron Street is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Huron Street:

Huron Street doesn’t really go anywhere.  It starts at Dallas and Erie, runs down towards the water, and ends.  And there are no heritage houses on Huron.  In fact, there are no houses at all – just condos.  The Canadian Coast Guard, however, has a Regional Operations Centre (http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/e0003922) on Huron.

I don’t know how old Huron Street is – I suspect it dates from the establishment of the Coast Guard Centre, but that’s just a guess.

Here are some pictures I took of Huron Street.

Here we are.

The Coast Guard sign at the entrance to Huron.  Well, close to the entrance…

The view down Huron from Dallas.

One of several waterfalls at the condo complex.

I can’t go any further – that’s Coast Guard territory!

And, looking back up towards Dallas.

What else do you want to know about Huron Street?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter U of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-25-2017-letter-u.html.  Stay tuned for V is for... tomorrow!!

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, T is for Toronto Street!

Here is a Google map showing where Toronto Street is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Toronto Street:

Toronto Street, one of the older streets in James Bay, runs, diagonally, from Douglas at the park to Menzies Street.   It’s kind of a shortcut for us if we are walking home from downtown, because it’s a diagonal walk.

According to http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/Neighbourhoods/jamesbayhistory.html:

“James Bay’s earliest subdivision streets were named after places in eastern North America that were familiar to the HBC officers: Superior, Huron, Michigan, Belleville, Niagara, Ontario, Kingston, Montreal, Toronto, Oswego, Erie and Quebec. ”

Today, it’s perhaps not the most interesting street in James Bay (it’s lost a lot of its older homes), but there are still some heritage houses on Toronto.

• 526 Toronto Street: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Toronto526.html
• 588 Toronto Street: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Toronto588.html
• 589 Toronto Street: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Toronto589.html
• 601 Toronto Street: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Toronto601.html
• 603 Toronto Street: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Toronto603.html
• 609 Toronto Street: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Toronto609.html

Also of interest, the Carriage House B&B is on Toronto Street (http://www.carriagehousebandb.ca/), just off Government Street.  And the James Bay Inn (http://www.jamesbayinn.com/) is at the corner of Government and Toronto.

Here are some pictures I took of Toronto Street.

The Douglas Street end

The park and playground attached to SouthPark School

The way down to Government.

And now, here we are at Government.

The Carriage House B&B

And the James Bay Inn.

And the way towards Menzies.

The end of Toronto Street.

What else do you want to know about Toronto Street?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter T of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-24-2017-letter-t.html.  Stay tuned for U is for... tomorrow!!

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, S is for South Turner Street!

Here is a Google map showing where South Turner Street is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about South Turner Street:

South Turner is, gasp, TWO blocks long, running from Dallas Road to Simcoe Street.  It is a lovely street lined with cherry trees that are stunning in the spring (http://www.tourismvictoria.com/blog/post/2014/21/Spring-Blossoms-in-Victoria/2815/), and a popular route for the horse-drawn carriages that run rampant in our neighbourhood, especially during tourist season (which is coming soon!)

From http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/Neighbourhoods/jamesbayhistory.html:

“It was not until the late 1880s and 1890s that living in the southern end of James Bay, closer to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, became popular, in large part because the electric street railway ran lines to the Outer Wharf, along Menzies and Niagara Streets to Beacon Hill Park. Here large homes were interspersed with subdivisions of smaller ones. Dr. Charles Newcombe’s house (138 Dallas Rd) overlooking Ogden Point and the Macaulays’ Queen Anne mansion, Pinehurst, (originally fronting Dallas, now off 617 Battery St) are two notable surviving mansions. The east sides of Oswego, San Jose and Lewis Streets comprise almost intact streetscapes of modest houses of the late 1800s and early 1900s, but nearby streets boast many other working and middle class enclaves, notably along Niagara, Menzies, Rithet, South Turner, lower Government, Toronto, Heather, Parry, Battery and Alma Place (off Michigan) and Avalon. ”

There are many heritage houses on the two blocks that are South Turner, some of them dating from the 1890s.

• 15 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner15.html
• 41 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner41.html
• 102 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner102.html
• 106 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner106.html
• 116 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner116.html
• 117 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner117.html
• 122 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner122.html
• 126 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner126.html
• 131 South Turner:  http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner131.html
• 132 South Turner:  http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner132.html
• 154 South Turner: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner154.html
• 161 South Turner:  http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/STurner161.html
• South Turned properties at Hallmark: http://victoriahistory.ca/property.php?fun=search&sname=South%20Turner%20Street&order=Street&page=0&limit=50

Here are some pictures I took of South Turner Street.

This is South Turner at its most stunning!

What else do you want to know about South Turner Street?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter S of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-22-2017-letter-s.html.  Stay tuned for T is for... Monday!!

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, R is for Rithet Street!

Here is a Google map showing where Rithet Street is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Rithet Street:

Rithet Street runs for 1 block between South Turner (which will be showcased in the next A to Z post) and Menzies.

Rithet Street was named for Robert Paterson Rithet (as per http://www.jamesbaybeacon.ca/?q=node/1244)  RP Rithet did not live in James Bay, but lived nearby at 998 Humboldt Street in Fairfield (http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/Fairfield/Humboldt998.html).

From http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/Neighbourhoods/jamesbayhistory.html:

“It was not until the late 1880s and 1890s that living in the southern end of James Bay, closer to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, became popular, in large part because the electric street railway ran lines to the Outer Wharf, along Menzies and Niagara Streets to Beacon Hill Park. Here large homes were interspersed with subdivisions of smaller ones. Dr. Charles Newcombe’s house (138 Dallas Rd) overlooking Ogden Point and the Macaulays’ Queen Anne mansion, Pinehurst, (originally fronting Dallas, now off 617 Battery St) are two notable surviving mansions. The east sides of Oswego, San Jose and Lewis Streets comprise almost intact streetscapes of modest houses of the late 1800s and early 1900s, but nearby streets boast many other working and middle class enclaves, notably along Niagara, Menzies, Rithet, South Turner, lower Government, Toronto, Heather, Parry, Battery and Alma Place (off Michigan) and Avalon. ”

Here are some pictures I took of Rithet Street.

Well, I didn’t actually get out to take pictures this week ’cause, you know, sick.  And there isn’t that much to see as it’s pretty much apartment buildings on both sides of the block.

Here’s a picture of a horse and carriage trotting down South Turner (see S) near Rithet….

What else do you want to know about Rithet Street?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter R of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-21-2017-letter-r.html.  Stay tuned for S is for... tomorrow!!

Welcome to my April 2017 Great and Powerful 2017 Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Today, Q is for Quebec Street!

Here is a Google map showing where Quebec Street is located in James Bay.

What I could find out about Quebec Street:

Quebec Street is a little longer than some of the streets I’ve been featuring during this challenge, in that it stretches for approximately 3 blocks (one of them long) from Menzies at the Legislature Buildings, to Montreal Street.

Along Quebec Street, you will find a number of hotels.  Not surprising given its proximity to the Inner Harbour, the Legislature, and downtown.  These hotels include:

• The Embassy Inn: http://www.embassyinn.ca/
• The Royal Scot: http://www.royalscot.com/
• Harbour Towers Hotel and Suites: http://www.harbourtowers.com/

While there are a lot of hotels on Quebec Street, there are also some heritage houses, including

• 221 Quebec Street: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Quebec221.html
• 225 Quebec Street: http://www.victoriaheritagefoundation.ca/HReg/JamesB/Quebec225.html

225 Quebec Street is now a restaurant called Nourish (http://www.nourishkitchen.ca/)

Here are some pictures I took of Quebec Street.

Ok, this is all I’ve got.  A picture from last summer.  I have been sick this week, so haven’t really felt much like walking around, and yesterday was cold and windy, and Quebec Street is a bit of a walk…whine, whine, whine.  Imagine a long street with hotels on it!

What else do you want to know about Quebec Street?  Ask away, and I will see what I can find out for you!

Thanks for visiting letter Q of my A to Z Challenge post of 2017.  You can find more I posts at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2017/04/atozchallenge-4-20-2017-letter-q.html.  Stay tuned for R is for... tomorrow!!