Neighbourhoods - VICTORIA

When Victoria won number two spot in Conde Nast’s list of best small cities in the world in 2017, nobody who is familiar with BC’s capital city was surprised. The place named after a Queen provides a ‘royal’ experience to anyone who visits. Victoria has it all. When it comes to the good life, this city of gardens wrote the book.

The first thing newcomers notice is the natural beauty of this city. It gets its nickname, ‘California North’, from a balmy temperate climate, miles of beaches, and a palm tree in a lot of yards. Beacon Hill Park is the ‘front lawn of Victoria; a 200-acre park of trees, small lakes, and gardens, and home to blue herons and peacocks.

When people arrive by seaplane to Victoria, the first thing they see is the iconic Fairmont Empress Hotel, the magnificent grand dame gracing the Inner Harbour. To her right, the provincial parliament buildings rise in stately contrast to the surrounding five acres of green lawns. Both buildings were designed by famous architect Francis Rattenbury using local materials.

Just past the front lawn of the Parliament buildings are stairs that will take you along the lower causeway of the Inner Harbour. The walkway hosts vendors, musicians, buskers, food trucks, and shops and accesses moorage for boats and sea planes.

Over the Johnson Street Bridge into Esquimalt, you will find the brand-new Victoria International Marina off the Songhees walkway just in front of Pelly Island. It is a world-class luxury yacht center and provides a gateway to some of North America’s most spectacular cruising waters. https://vimarina.ca 

Victoria is alive with arts, culture, entertainment and festivity. A multitude of galleries feature the works of local artists. As a long-time supporter of the arts in our community, I’d particularly like to point out Pacific Opera Victoria (https://pacificopera.ca) and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (https://aggv.ca).

Members of The Union Club of British Columbia organized an evening of local food, music and art as a fundraiser for the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s. Art + Fare is coming up on Saturday, September 21st. I’d be delighted if you’d like to join us! Go to http://artandfare.com for more information.

Victoria has the highest number of restaurants per capita in all of Canada, and the second highest number in North America, next to San Francisco. This is a foodie’s paradise where you’ll find any kind of cuisine you could want. The Victoria Public Market at the Hudson (https://victoriapublicmarket.com) offers gourmet foods and local produce. Restaurants like Ferris' Oyster Bar and Grill on Yates Street, or the Blue Crab Seafood House in James Bay solidify Victoria’s reputation for excellent seafood.

Amenities and services abound. Exceptional schools are too many to mention. Recreation centres are everywhere – the YWCA, the Crystal Pool centre, and Curves to name a few. On many different surveys across the country, Victoria consistently ranks high on 'happiness' and 'quality of life’. When you spend any time here, you will know why. A simple stroll along the breakwater at Ogden Point in James Bay under a sun-streaked sky, with a cool ocean breeze, munching on fish and chips from Red Fish, Blue Fish -- and you know that it does not get any better than this.

Believe it!