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UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Central Block
Uses: condo, commercial
Address: 1075 Tillicum Road
Municipality: Esquimalt
Region: Urban core
Storeys: 6
Condo units: (1BR, 2BR, 3BR, junior 1BR, junior 2BR)
Sales status: pre-sales
Central Block offers a diverse collection of forward-thinking one, two and three-bedroom homes that represent ... (view full profile)
Learn more about Central Block on Citified.ca      Official website: https://abstractdevelopments.com/developments/central-block
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[Esquimalt] Central Block | Condos; retail | 6-storeys


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40 replies to this topic

#21 AllseeingEye

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Posted 31 August 2022 - 11:24 AM

Hundreds of thousands of miles from home? Were these pongos, or aliens?

 

Sure, many many CAF and especially RCN personnel were just that, by virtue of the only two naval base locations: you are/were either posted to Esquimalt or to Halifax.

 

If you are from Campbellton, New Brunswick, or Moose Factory, Ontario or Grise Fiord Nunavut and posted here, then absolutely you're literally a couple of thousand clicks from home - and all 3500++ of them in the case of being from the Far North. Often away from the parents for the first time in your life, and you're single and 19. You can use your imagination as to your first course of recreation, i.e. hitting the pub. Often. Not a remotely fair general characterisation of the muni in reality - but that impression certainly was the case in 1975, rest assured.



#22 Mike K.

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Posted 31 August 2022 - 11:27 AM

Little did the worried denizens of Oak Bay know, the pongos feared the MPs more than their mothers.

If you want to see a group of 20-somethings behave on a night out, go watch a group of sailors.
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#23 AllseeingEye

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Posted 31 August 2022 - 11:53 AM

Yeah today its an altogether different culture certainly. We were on a family holiday to Britain in 1975 and happened to be in a lovely seaside town called Aberystwyth, in Wales, one night when a French gunboat pulled into port. Three hours later "utter street-level bedlam" would have been the best description for it, heh.

 

Today everything from the drinking/driving and smoking laws to personal attitudes have (thankfully) changed. And younger people have changed too in terms of their interests, navy personnel or otherwise.

 

In fact insofar as we're concerned and side from my immediate neighbour who is a CPO, I can't offhand recall the last time I saw a navy member - regular navy or cadet - wandering around the muni even in the 'core' on Esquimalt Rd, never mind whatever bars that may still exist here. Much more likely to see them d/t at Remembrance and other ceremonies. Point being its Esquimalt 2022, not 1971. Big, big difference.....



#24 Mike K.

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Posted 31 August 2022 - 12:39 PM

They also prefer not to wear uniforms unless required. Less of a target that way, and if something were to arise, they would not be reprimanded for having done it in uniform.

In decades past there was also this attitude towards giving sailors/armed forces more breathing room. The remnants of WWII and the Cold War lead to more respect for the forces. Fast forward to today, and a Victoria councillor laments having his municipality pay for Remembrance Day.
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#25 UDeMan

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Posted 31 August 2022 - 01:01 PM

All I know is that if you want to invade Victoria, do it on a snow day. They will shut down the base to emergency staff only with 1 inch of snow.
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#26 LJ

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Posted 31 August 2022 - 07:37 PM

In my day, pongos were army guys, it's what the navy guys called them. Navy guys were never pongos.


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#27 AllseeingEye

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Posted 31 August 2022 - 11:25 PM

In my day, pongos were army guys, it's what the navy guys called them. Navy guys were never pongos.

 

Actually - technically - the term was used at one time as a slang reference to any CAF member; it was predominate in this area with specific reference to the RCN I suspect because the Navy was always present here in far greater numbers than the army, whose presence was exemplified mainly by the PPCLI's, but in far fewer numbers than the navy. We conversely always associated 'pongo' with the navy probably for that reason. We kids used it in that context as did the adults most certainly.

 

At one time CFB Esquimalt had well north of 10,000 people at the base, military and civilian. The army even with the PPCLI battalion at Work Point, before it was shuffled off to Chilliwack in 1994 (and even later to Edmonton) and various reserve elements, was never ever as numerous.

 

Ironically even though the kids in my time (60's and 70's) and area (Gordon Head - Uvic - Mt Tolmie) always used pongo in reference to the navy - which in turn definitely, and unfairly, elicited a certain negative image of Esquimalt like few other things - I believe within the Forces' culture the army slang for RCN members was actually "squid". For my part that was a term I never ever heard or encountered anywhere until I was researching a DoD university project in the mid-80's. "Pongo" was, purely in my experience living all that way on the other side of the core from the base in the 60's and 70's, the de-facto default when speaking of the 'navy guys'. 

 

Regardless its nice to see all the new local development on "this" side of the harbour, as the muni continues chugging along and evolving very nicely.



#28 Matt R.

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Posted 01 September 2022 - 12:34 PM

Esquimalt is great, isn’t it?

For the most part, that’s what it was like when we were growing up. Everyone assumed Esquimalt was the proverbial dump but the neighbourhoods were beautiful, the people pleasant and courteous, and the schools were great. Rockheights is another gem of a neighborhood that people are bewildered by when they first encounter it. Same for Parklands and Saxe Point.

Old Victoria was so backwards in so many ways when it came to an ideal address.


Our kids both went to Macaulay for French immersion, it always had a bad rep but I couldn’t figure out why. Maybe the French immersion program just had more engaged parents? It wasn’t perfect but easily as good as any other school they went to over the years.

Pre kids, I lived on Macaulay between Head and Macaulay, and while Head at Esq was a little gritty in those days, a block down towards the water was beautiful. It’s amazing all the crappy areas in Victoria we’ve been priced out of, lol.
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#29 Citified.ca

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 10:32 AM

New renderings in the article.

 

This project is now selling, at prices starting from $339,900.

 

Gorge Waterway condo dev Central Block now selling, priced from $339,900

https://victoria.cit...d-from-339-900/


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#30 dkuitu

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 12:48 PM

In my day, pongos were army guys, it's what the navy guys called them. Navy guys were never pongos.

 

I was in from 2011 to 2017 and this is the first time I've heard the term.



#31 LJ

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 07:39 PM

I was in from 2011 to 2017 and this is the first time I've heard the term.

Oh, I believe they are much more woke now, calling someone a pongo would probably trigger a run to a safe space.


Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#32 BikeLaneLover

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Posted 13 December 2022 - 02:31 PM

Anyone know what’s happening with the design of this one? I keep seeing new renderings and logo design with a much more blocky appearance. I’d be really disappointed if they altered the original design.

#33 Mike K.

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Posted 13 December 2022 - 07:19 PM

Nope, no changes since the project was approved. You might be seeing people posting old images or massing drawings.

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#34 Citified.ca

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Posted 14 December 2022 - 10:20 AM

The project saw a nice bump in sales with a new, although time-limited, downpayment program.

 

Abstract's Gorge Waterway condo 'Central Block' sees sales jump with new downpayment program

https://victoria.cit...ayment-program/


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#35 Citified.ca

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Posted 14 March 2023 - 10:47 AM

Abstract has curated its suites into multiple home collections, to help differentiate the various options available a the 99-suite Central Block. Pricing now starts from $344,900.

 

From-$344,900--Gorge-Waterway-condo's-curated-home-collections-draw-wide-range-of-buyers.jpg

 

From $344,900: Gorge Waterway condo's curated home collections draw wide range of buyers

https://victoria.cit...ange-of-buyers/


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#36 Citified.ca

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Posted 04 July 2023 - 09:17 AM

An example of how the 'investor market' so often has such a negative connotation, but in this case, it provides a home for the family's kids when they come of age in 15 years, while in the interim, the owners can make it available as rental housing.

 

botica-family-at-abstract-home-store.jpg

A rendering of Central Block, a 99-suite condominium development coming soon to Tillicum Road at the Tillicum Road Bridge spanning Esquimalt's and Saanich's Gorge Waterway.

 

Gorge Waterway pre-sale draws investors as Abstract’s newest condo nears groundbreaking

https://victoria.cit...groundbreaking/


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#37 Citified.ca

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Posted 04 August 2023 - 10:35 AM

Construction is officially underway at Central Block.

 

Abstract-Developments-celebrates-groundbreaking-for-Esquimalt's-Central-Block-condominiums.jpg

 

Abstract Developments celebrates Central Block condominium groundbreaking in Esquimalt

https://victoria.cit...g-in-esquimalt/


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#38 AllseeingEye

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Posted 04 August 2023 - 10:48 AM

Nice, just down the street and around a couple of corners from us. There sure are lots of building sites around the area - completed, under construction or just getting underway like this one. Definitely not our dad's Esquimalt - Gorge - Tillicum neighborhood any more.



#39 Mike K.

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Posted 04 August 2023 - 01:56 PM

Nope. It’s going to be great! Also lots happening across the bridge on the Saanich side.
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#40 AllseeingEye

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Posted 03 February 2024 - 01:45 PM

Lots of activity here, equipment on site, the blacktop from the old parking lot removed and there is now a big old pit here as they start to seriously excavate for the new foundation along the property fronting Tillicum Rd.


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