About Us (Camas)
The Park (Chocolate Lily)
Park History
Park History (Prairie Violet)
Members Area (Spring Gold)
101 - 1041 Richardson St
Victoria, BC
V8V 3C6
(250) 380-5023

Contact Us
E-mail Friends of Beacon Hill Park

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Friends of Beacon Hill Park
1900's
Park  Pre-history (Easter Lilies) Park Present and Past (Shooting Star) Park History 1900's (Trillium) Park History 1800's (Death Camas)

 

Beacon Hill Park in the 1900's

1904
Bridge Road and Look Out Point created  
1905
Nursery started  
1907
Children's Playground built  
1908
First horse purchased by the Park for hauling and general chores. Queenie was a well known horse who was saved to entertain park visitors when motorized machines took over her work  
1909
Cricket clubhouse built  
1910
Lawn Bowling Clubhouse built  
1912
First greenhouse built  
1924 - 1948
A rare Kermodei bear lived in the zoo, her name was "Ursus"
1925
Kiwanis wading pool constructed
1927
First trees planted in "Mayor's Grove"
1929
A small Hawthorn planted by Sir W. Churchill and Heywood Avenue soccer pitch constructed
1930
Realignment of Douglas Street properties taking one-half acre away from the Park  
1931
Dallas Road widened through the Park including parking bays  
1938
Rose Garden installed  
1939
King George VI present colours to Pacific Command R.C.N.  
1944
Swans were obtained from the Royal Swannery on the Thames for Goodacre Lake  
1947
First power mower purchased  
1948
Cameron Pavilion constructed and dedicated  
1956
World's Tallest Totem Pole 127' 7" erected
1958
Present Flagpole installed
1959
Queen Elizabeth presented colours to P.P.C.L.I.
1960
Southgate Street extended through the Park to connect with Superior Street, cutting a portion of land away from the north part of the park
1972
New maintenance building built in the center of the Park  
1974
Miniature golf greens added  
1975
Children's animal farmyard included animals such as cows, sheep, pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, peacocks, and miniature horses  
1977
City Council entertains discussions of extending Michigan Street through the Park to help government employees commute to work  
1982
100th Anniversary of Beacon Hill Park  
1987
Long term Policies of Beacon Hill Park  
1992
Long term Policies of Beacon Hill Park amended  
1998
City of Victoria vs Capital Region Festival Society entered together to seek the B.C. Supreme Court the legal use of Beacon Hill Park regarding a multi-day, paid-attendance, commercially sponsored music festival. The Beacon Hill Park Rescue Coalition joined as interveners.
The City of Victoria, in its quest to be "the City of Festivals" looked to the courts for the lawful use of Beacon Hill Park as a festival venue. On the two questions asked of the court:

(a) Whether or not the land known as Beacon Hill Park, held in trust by the City of Victoria, can lawfully be used for short term festival type events including the Victoria Folk Roots Music Festival, proposed by the Capital Region Festival Society; and

(b) Whether or not the land known as Beacon Hill Park, held in trust by the City of Victoria, can be lawfully used for other similar short-term festival type events that may be offered to be held by non-profit societies.

The Judgment answered NO to both questions.

City Council immediately filed an appeal of the ruling requesting the Supreme Court of British Columbia to return an affirmative answer instead. After much lobbying to the newly elected city council, the City Council dropped the appeal and the ruling stood.
January 24, 2000
Master Plan for Beacon Hill Park …may it serve the Park well to maintain and preserve