Greater Victoria Neighbourhood: View Royal

View Royal is an attractive, largely residential community in the centre-west part of the Capital Region traversed by Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) and the Island Highway. View Royal contains a rich variety of ecosystems including the salt-water environment of Esquimalt Harbour and Portage Inlet, the blending of salt and fresh waters in Craigflower and Millstream Creeks and their estuaries, and the freshwater ecosystems of Thetis, Prior and McKenzie Lakes. The terrestrial environments are equally interesting and varied, ranging from the moist Douglas Fir forest habitat to the drier, rockier areas that produce the unique Garry Oak meadows.

View Royal is divided into eight neighbourhoods which include Atkins, Burnside, Craigflower, Harbour, Helmcken, Hospital, Thetis and Wilfert. The Victoria General Hospital is centrally located and is one of the largest employers on Vancouver Island accounting for at least one third of the approximately 4,000 jobs in View Royal. Elements Casino on the Island Highway is another large employer and a fun, high energy venue for evening entertainment.

There are many things to enjoy in View Royal. It contains numerous municipal parks and 25 kilometres of trails. The well-known Thetis Lake is along with McKenzie and Pike Lake are contained within the municipality. Beautiful ocean shorelines include sandy beaches with fun-to-explore small caves, large driftwood piles and rocks, starfish, crabs, seals and an abundance of marine life.

Two historic “road houses” or pubs include the Four Mile Pub & Six Mile Pub. both have existed for approximately 150 years.

Craigflower Manor & Schoolhouse Is National Historic Site of Canada as one of four original farms set up by the Hudson's Bay Company which housed the McKenzie family in the Manor, a saw mill, a flour mill, a blacksmith's shop, a brick kiln, slaughterhouse and a general store.
Schools in View Royal include View Royal Preschool and Elementary school, Eagle View Elementary School and Shoreline Community Middle School.

View Royal is a centrally located community gem well worth considering as your next place to live.