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Oak Bay | |
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| The Corporation of the District of Oak Bay[1] | |
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 Coat of arms | |
  Oak Bay Location of Oak Bay within the Capital Regional District | |
  Location of Oak Bay in British Columbia | |
| Coordinates:48°25′33″N123°19′05″W / 48.42583°N 123.31806°W /48.42583; -123.31806 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional district | Capital |
| Incorporated | 1906 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Kevin Murdoch |
| • Governing Body | Oak Bay Municipal Council |
| • MP | Laurel Collins (NDP) |
| • MLA | Murray Rankin (BC NDP) |
| Area | |
| • Land | 10.52 km2 (4.06 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 34 m (112 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 17,990 |
| • Density | 1,710.1/km2 (4,429/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time) |
| Area code(s) | 250,778 |
| Website | www |
Oak Bay is amunicipality incorporated in 1906 that is located on the southern tip ofVancouver Island, in the Canadian province ofBritish Columbia. It is one of thirteen member municipalities of theCapital Regional District, and is bordered to the west by the city ofVictoria and to the north by the district ofSaanich. It is an eastern residential suburb of Victoria.
Oak Bay is part of the traditional territories of theCoast Salish people of theSongheesFirst Nation. The people that came and went in the millennia before are unknown. Evidence of their ancient settlements has been found along local shores, including Willows Beach, where an ancientLkwungen seaport known asSitchanalth was centred around the mouth of the river commonly known as Bowker Creek.[3] Sitchanalth is hypothesized to have been destroyed by the great Tsunami of 930 AD.[4] Much of this neighbourhood is built upon an Indigenous burial ground.[5]
Oak Bay takes its name from theGarry oak tree, which is found throughout the region, and also the name of the large bay on the eastern shore of the municipality, fronting ontoWillows Beach.
John Tod, in 1850, built on a 109-acre (44 ha) farm that is today the oldest continuously-occupied home in Western Canada. Tod was the Chief Fur Trader for theHudson's Bay Company for Kamloops, one of the original appointed members of BC's Legislative Council.[6][7][8]
Originally developed as a middle classstreetcar suburb of Victoria, Oak Bay was incorporated as a municipality in 1906. Its first Council includedFrancis 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 forGlenlyon Norfolk School. In 1912, the former farm lands of theHudson's Bay Company were subdivided to create the Uplands area, but development was hampered by the outbreak ofWorld War I. After the war, development of expensive homes in the Uplands was accompanied by the construction of many more single-family dwellings in the Estevan, Willows and South Oak Bay neighbourhoods.
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 6,120 yard links course on the ocean side, and claims to be the oldest golf course in Canada still on its original site. The course is reported to be haunted.[7]
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club was formed on June 8, 1892, and moved in 1912 to its current location, at the location of the old Hudson's Bay Company cattle wharf.
In 1925, theVictoria Cougars won theStanley Cup at thePatrick Arena in Oak Bay, defeating theMontreal Canadiens in four games.[9] The arena was soon after destroyed by fire in 1929. Nowadays, the Victoria Cougars are theDetroit Red Wings of theNational Hockey League.
The Oak Bay Marina, built in 1962, was officially opened in April 1964. It replaced the Oak Bay Boat House built in 1893. The breakwater was built in 1959 and funded by the federal government.
There have reportedly been sightings of asea monster known as theCadborosaurus off Oak Bay, with both reports dating back to before European settlement in the area.[10]
Neighbourhoods:
| Climate data forUniversity of Victoria (Oak Bay /Saanich) WMO ID: 71783; coordinates48°27′25″N123°18′17″W / 48.45694°N 123.30472°W /48.45694; -123.30472 (University of Victoria); elevation: 60.1 m (197 ft); 1991–2020 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record highhumidex | 19.6 | 16.6 | 21.9 | 25.3 | 31.3 | 41.9 | 40.4 | 35.0 | 33.4 | 31.1 | 20.5 | 20.9 | 40.4 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.2 (59.4) | 16.5 (61.7) | 21.0 (69.8) | 25.0 (77.0) | 28.8 (83.8) | 37.9 (100.2) | 37.6 (99.7) | 34.5 (94.1) | 30.2 (86.4) | 23.5 (74.3) | 19.0 (66.2) | 16.5 (61.7) | 37.6 (99.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.2 (46.8) | 8.8 (47.8) | 11.0 (51.8) | 14.0 (57.2) | 17.9 (64.2) | 20.6 (69.1) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.5 (74.3) | 20.0 (68.0) | 14.3 (57.7) | 10.3 (50.5) | 8.0 (46.4) | 15.0 (59.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.8 (42.4) | 5.9 (42.6) | 7.5 (45.5) | 9.8 (49.6) | 12.9 (55.2) | 15.4 (59.7) | 17.7 (63.9) | 17.7 (63.9) | 15.0 (59.0) | 10.7 (51.3) | 7.6 (45.7) | 5.5 (41.9) | 11.0 (51.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.4 (38.1) | 2.9 (37.2) | 3.9 (39.0) | 5.5 (41.9) | 7.9 (46.2) | 10.2 (50.4) | 11.7 (53.1) | 11.8 (53.2) | 10.1 (50.2) | 7.2 (45.0) | 4.7 (40.5) | 3.1 (37.6) | 6.9 (44.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.7 (10.9) | −7.2 (19.0) | −4.1 (24.6) | −0.6 (30.9) | 0.2 (32.4) | 5.1 (41.2) | 6.2 (43.2) | 7.2 (45.0) | 3.6 (38.5) | −2.1 (28.2) | −9.5 (14.9) | −11.2 (11.8) | −11.2 (11.8) |
| Record lowwind chill | −15.4 | −11.8 | −9.0 | −1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | −3.3 | −12.4 | −14.5 | −15.4 |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 109.6 (4.31) | 59.6 (2.35) | 52.6 (2.07) | 35.6 (1.40) | 29.2 (1.15) | 19.7 (0.78) | 10.7 (0.42) | 15.6 (0.61) | 30.4 (1.20) | 77.2 (3.04) | 123.2 (4.85) | 97.8 (3.85) | 661.2 (26.03) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.7 | 15.1 | 17.2 | 13.2 | 11.2 | 9.1 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 11.1 | 17.8 | 21.4 | 19.3 | 164.0 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 1500LST) | 83.3 | 75.5 | 70.5 | 63.8 | 60.8 | 58.0 | 55.5 | 57.8 | 65.7 | 76.6 | 81.9 | 82.8 | 69.3 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada[12] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Gonzales Avenue, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (1971-2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record highhumidex | 13.8 | 16.0 | 18.3 | 22.4 | 29.1 | 33.8 | 36.1 | 35.0 | 32.3 | 24.7 | 19.7 | 15.1 | 36.1 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.4 (57.9) | 17.4 (63.3) | 20.6 (69.1) | 27.0 (80.6) | 29.5 (85.1) | 35.0 (95.0) | 35.0 (95.0) | 32.8 (91.0) | 31.7 (89.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 18.9 (66.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 35.0 (95.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) | 8.6 (47.5) | 10.6 (51.1) | 13.1 (55.6) | 15.9 (60.6) | 17.9 (64.2) | 19.8 (67.6) | 20.1 (68.2) | 18.5 (65.3) | 13.8 (56.8) | 9.4 (48.9) | 7.1 (44.8) | 13.5 (56.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.0 (41.0) | 6.2 (43.2) | 7.6 (45.7) | 9.6 (49.3) | 12.1 (53.8) | 14.0 (57.2) | 15.6 (60.1) | 15.9 (60.6) | 14.6 (58.3) | 10.9 (51.6) | 7.2 (45.0) | 5.2 (41.4) | 10.3 (50.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) | 3.7 (38.7) | 4.5 (40.1) | 6.0 (42.8) | 8.2 (46.8) | 10.0 (50.0) | 11.3 (52.3) | 11.7 (53.1) | 10.7 (51.3) | 7.9 (46.2) | 5.0 (41.0) | 3.2 (37.8) | 7.1 (44.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −14.4 (6.1) | −12.8 (9.0) | −7.2 (19.0) | −2.2 (28.0) | 1.1 (34.0) | 3.9 (39.0) | 6.1 (43.0) | 4.4 (39.9) | 1.7 (35.1) | −2.8 (27.0) | −11.1 (12.0) | −15.6 (3.9) | −15.6 (3.9) |
| Record lowwind chill | −22.0 | −19.0 | −14.0 | −5.0 | −2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 1.0 | −9.0 | −21.0 | −27.0 | −27.0 |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 94.3 (3.71) | 71.7 (2.82) | 46.5 (1.83) | 28.5 (1.12) | 25.8 (1.02) | 20.7 (0.81) | 14.0 (0.55) | 19.7 (0.78) | 27.4 (1.08) | 51.2 (2.02) | 98.9 (3.89) | 108.9 (4.29) | 607.6 (23.92) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 85.2 (3.35) | 68.1 (2.68) | 45.3 (1.78) | 28.5 (1.12) | 25.8 (1.02) | 20.7 (0.81) | 14.0 (0.55) | 19.7 (0.78) | 27.4 (1.08) | 51.1 (2.01) | 95.5 (3.76) | 101.9 (4.01) | 583.2 (22.95) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 9.7 (3.8) | 3.5 (1.4) | 1.1 (0.4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.1 (0.0) | 4.1 (1.6) | 7.8 (3.1) | 26.3 (10.3) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 17.0 | 15.4 | 14.5 | 10.8 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 8.0 | 13.5 | 17.4 | 17.5 | 141.9 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 14.6 | 14.3 | 12.9 | 10.5 | 9.0 | 7.1 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 7.9 | 11.9 | 15.3 | 16.1 | 129.3 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.12 | 0.82 | 1.9 | 7.81 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 74.1 | 93.7 | 149.5 | 201.5 | 266.6 | 273.8 | 327.8 | 297.3 | 204.1 | 153.4 | 83.1 | 68.7 | 2,193.6 |
| Source:Environment Canada[13] | |||||||||||||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Oak Bay had a population of 17,990 living in 7,807 of its 8,168 total private dwellings, a change of-0.6% from its 2016 population of 18,094. With a land area of 10.52 km2 (4.06 sq mi), it had a population density of1,710.1/km2 (4,429.1/sq mi) in 2021.[2]
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| Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes. Source: Statistics Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panethnic group | 2021[14] | 2016[15] | 2011[16] | 2006[17] | 2001[18] | 1996[19] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |||
| European[a] | 15,040 | 85.26% | 15,355 | 87.87% | 15,515 | 89.24% | 16,200 | 91.6% | 16,030 | 91.68% | 16,240 | 92.3% | ||
| East Asian[b] | 1,110 | 6.29% | 1,080 | 6.18% | 810 | 4.66% | 645 | 3.65% | 1,000 | 5.72% | 845 | 4.8% | ||
| South Asian | 370 | 2.1% | 285 | 1.63% | 325 | 1.87% | 180 | 1.02% | 120 | 0.69% | 205 | 1.17% | ||
| Indigenous | 345 | 1.96% | 255 | 1.46% | 190 | 1.09% | 260 | 1.47% | 120 | 0.69% | 90 | 0.51% | ||
| Southeast Asian[c] | 250 | 1.42% | 190 | 1.09% | 155 | 0.89% | 185 | 1.05% | 75 | 0.43% | 10 | 0.06% | ||
| Latin American | 120 | 0.68% | 95 | 0.54% | 45 | 0.26% | 65 | 0.37% | 45 | 0.26% | 35 | 0.2% | ||
| Middle Eastern[d] | 115 | 0.65% | 115 | 0.66% | 85 | 0.49% | 80 | 0.45% | 10 | 0.06% | 80 | 0.45% | ||
| African | 100 | 0.57% | 55 | 0.31% | 60 | 0.35% | 25 | 0.14% | 70 | 0.4% | 85 | 0.48% | ||
| Other/Multiracial[e] | 180 | 1.02% | 45 | 0.26% | 75 | 0.43% | 35 | 0.2% | 20 | 0.11% | 10 | 0.06% | ||
| Total responses | 17,640 | 98.05% | 17,475 | 96.58% | 17,385 | 96.5% | 17,685 | 98.75% | 17,485 | 98.24% | 17,595 | 98.49% | ||
| Total population | 17,990 | 100% | 18,094 | 100% | 18,015 | 100% | 17,908 | 100% | 17,798 | 100% | 17,865 | 100% | ||
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||||||
According to the2021 census, religious groups in Oak Bay included:[14]
During the 1930s, Oak Bay, British Columbia was the original "Hollywood North" where fourteen films were produced in Greater Victoria between 1933 and 1938.[20] In 1932 Kenneth James Bishop leased an off-season exhibition building on the Willows Fairgrounds that was converted to a filmsound stage to produce films for the British film quota system under theCinematograph Films Act 1927[21] and films were produced with Hollywood stars such asLillian Gish,Paul Muni,Sir Cedric Hardwicke,Edith Fellows,Charles Starrett and Rin Tin Tin Jr. Film production was curtailed when the Cinematograph Films Act 1938 specified only British made films would be included in the quota.
The Willows Park Studio films include:
Oak Bay is the home of theUniversity of Victoria, a public research institution in the Capital Region District. While much of theUniversity of Victoria campus is located within the District of Oak Bay, parts of it are also located in the adjacent municipality ofSaanich.
Oak Bay also hosts a number of academically focused public and private secondary schools which are part ofSchool District 61. There is one public elementary school,Willows Elementary, one public middle school, Monterey Middle School, and one public high school,Oak Bay High School, with the largest student population in theGreater Victoria School District.[31] Residents in the South Oak Bay area may also register their children at the nearby Margaret Jenkins Elementary (in Victoria). In addition to public schools, there are two private schools located in Oak Bay,Glenlyon Norfolk School andSt. Michael's University School.
Places adjacent to Oak Bay, British Columbia | |
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