Posted by A. Lien Nice work baily_ca. It looks like the old and new photos could almost be overlayed. (The 3rd archival one you posted) This would then show the placement of the old building. And the areas that had doors and windows, besides the obvious one... That brick and rock work is very random. The first photo is now Bastion Square, shot from the other direction. I pretty much confirmed this by looking at a photo in the book, Victoria, A History in Photographs. I think way back someone got under a space near the old HBC Warehouse. It didn't look like a basement though. I tried to get into the basement of Chandlers, but was denied access. That's where there is the Chinese writing, as posted back a ways. Allegedly painted by a worker to ward of ghosts. Given the Native history here, there must be lots of bones and things buried under much of the old shoreline areas. I think they found a skull or something about 15 years ago when renovation Capital Iron. The facade photo you posted could be a breakthrough, and if they didn't fill it all in, there is likely some very interesting spaces under there. Add to this the story I was told, of the tunnel up to Birks, (explored by the kids in their teens). Since it was a warehouse on the waterfront, a covered walkway or tunnel would make sense. I agree with you about the local media. Thankfully there is one exception. Focus Magazine. They have had some excellent heritage oriented articles. That was how I found out, and photographed, the old barracks in Esquimalt before their destruction. A heritage crime. Also The News Group occasionally publishes interesting historical type articles. Added: That last window, in the lower left sure looks damn close to the color photo posted by J.P. And further to the right, where there are now the giant planters, could well be those doors... |
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Posted by A. Lien Interesting info pathfinder1. It may be okay to walk around some areas of the base area by the marina, not the main base with checkpoint of course. We didn't get stopped, I didn't see any no tresspassing signs. They probably had cameras watching us, and could have taken us out if in the mood. Ya, good to stay curious, so much to see and do. |
Posted by KublaKhan Actually, A.Lien, there's a dark sedan parked outside your house. |
Posted by Mowgli-dog No, it was a maroon Lexus. |
Posted by Mowgli-dog No, it was a maroon Lexus. |
Posted by KublaKhan Actually, A.Lien, there's a dark sedan parked outside your house. |
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Posted by pathfinder1 Let me tell you a little bit about my history. Born in 1953 and raised in James Bay. At that time James Bay was just a working class neighbourhood. Considered my most others in Victoria as a place to stay away from. Too many rowdies there. If you were from James Bay you either worked at the docks working the freighters, or VMD building the BC Ferries, Coke plant, Bapco Paint, etc. It was a great place to grow up. There was no end of exploring. We would start at the corner of Douglas and Dallas road on any given weekend and begin to scour the neighbourhood. At that particular corner is a small blockhouse built into the water. This used to supply the salt water to the Crystal Garden way back when my Dad was a kid. If I recall rightly by uncle helped build it. From there we would head west scouring the cliffs looking for arrow heads from the old burial grouds. Of course in those days we weren't thinking about sacred areas that should be left for the more professional to be digging through. There is probably more history in that section of land just south of Government Street then we can imagine. Next stop would be the Breakwater ( my grandfather helped in the construction) and the dock system. It was a busy place for sure. Lumber dorries, fork lifts, trains and trucks buzzing all around the place. As kids we used to hang out around the freighters bumming cigarettes off the foreign crews. Shit, we used to go on board ship and have smokes and drinks. It's a bloody wonder we weren't kidnapped, but when your a kid you don't think of those things. The docks had grain elevators, warehouses, fish packing plants, and a railhead for the old ship Kenora. She would get loaded up with rail cars full of lumber and grain and head off to Vancouver. It's hard to believe now when you walk along Dallas Road toward the old lumber yard what a bee hive of activity used to go on there. It was a young mans wonder land. No end of exploring the yards in those days. I have to go for now, but I will continue if you are interested. |
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