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SE Corner of Belleville and Government


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#1 Number Six

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Posted 03 December 2007 - 09:35 PM

I thought I'd start a new thread on the history of the SE corner of Belleville and Government. As I mentioned in another thread a 1910 promotional publication stated this:

"The new hotel of the Grand Trunk Pacific will be directly opposite the Parliament Buildings, and south of the Empress Hotel. Grounds and buildings will cost close to a million dollars, and it will command a magnificent view of the Harbor"

I've never seen an illustration or artist's conception but I wouldn't be surprised if Rattenbury was behind the rumour. In 1910 he was heavily invested in the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and who better to design a hotel to compete with the Empress next door? Unfortunately G.T.P's visionary, Charles Melville Hays booked passage on the Titanic. I suspect the hotel plan was scrapped when the railway venture collapsed.

I became interested in this corner when I purchased a photo a few weeks ago. The photo shows the Royal Blue Lines Sightseeing Office in 1953 (4th photo down) and according to the city directories there was a "Dispatch Office" at Belleville and Government.

I thought it would be interesting to trace the history of this corner using archival and other photos. Here goes ...

1935


On the corner is the "Royal Blue Lines" ticket office (you can just make out "Royal Blue" on the sign). I believe this is the same building shown on page 86 of "Transit in British Columbia" by Brian Kelly and Daniel Francis.

1948





You can just make out the small ticket office on the corner, with the buses parked out front. The Spencer home is still in the background.

195?






This aerial view clearly shows a new parking lot as well as a different building on the corner (and the Spencer home appears to be gone). BC Electric bought Royal Blue Lines in 1948 and the building on the corner is what I believe to be the building in the photo I purchased recently (dated June 12, 1953):



1961


I can see a bus near the corner but I'm not sure if the Sightseeing Information booth is still there. Take note of the roof of the house at the back of the parking lot near the Government offices.

1965 (May)



The final two photos are from page 134 of "White Bears and other Curiosities" (The First 100 Years of the Royal BC Museum) by Peter Corely-Smith. I believe the house being demolished is the one I pointed out in the previous photo.




And here's the large hole, which ironically, houses the museum and the B.C. archives referenced in this post.

#2 Holden West

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Posted 03 December 2007 - 10:35 PM

Image of 1950s postcard found on the Web by Glenalan54 on Flickr showing the Crystal Court (without trees) and the corner at far right. Damn you, low resolution!


"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#3 D.L.

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Posted 03 December 2007 - 11:53 PM

fantastic!

 



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