Largely unknown large buildings

Crosspost: The Canada Hotel, behind the Duck's Building. Likely to be demolished:

Really? I am underwhelmed.

Anyway, both west-facing facades are virtually unknown and forgotten.

But the facade on the right is toast?

The facade of the Canada Hotel will be retained along the alley, is my understanding. That’s what they refer to as the rubble wall and it’s the only redeemable part of the CH.

I thought the rubble wall was part of the carriage factory?

The red brick facade is retained in the current plan. Some people feel there is value in preserving the interior of the building as well, not just the facades on Broad and the lane.

Ah, OK.

I have been inside this building many times, and apart from the gymnasium the interior is unremarkable. Saving the facades is a good call.

I noticed on the Canada Hotel (or which ever is the one without street frontage is called) the loading ramp at the back looks like one that is designed for rail cars - I want to go take a closer look

 

Some people feel there is value in preserving the interior of the building

Have any of those people actually been inside to see the current state of the interiors?

No. But they see value in it. From the outside. And not involving their own money.

It's easy to make demands when it's someone else's money on the line.

Methinks the title of this thread is begging for some clever wordplay. Largesse; at large; larger than life; Steve Largent; Lafarge cement, etc.

I have no time to do the heavy lifting myself so I'm just putting the pieces out there for the rest of you to work with.

 

It's easy to make demands when it's someone else's money on the line.

Are you questioning the largesse of others? VV forumers enjoy being critics at large, but I think some might imagine themselves to be larger than life. Anyway, back to the topic.Does anyone know if Lafarge cement will be involved in the Duck Building project? I heard a rumour that Steve Largent will attend the grand opening.

(There, was that so hard?)

I had no idea.

Am I the only one who didn't know?

 

Brentwood College Chapel was the chapel for Brentwood College, a private boys school established in Brentwood Bay in 1923. The foundation stone of the Chapel was laid on October 25, 1925. During the years following its erection, services were conducted by clergy from Victoria on a rotating basis, until the school buildings burned down in 1947. Only the Chapel survived. The school was forced to close and the Chapel, and related property, was transferred to Synod. Brentwood College reopened in September 1961 at a new location in Mill Bay. An annual service of remembrance is still held in the old Chapel, renamed Brentwood Memorial Chapel. The Brentwood Memorial Chapel was assigned a resident priest and it became the parish church for the Brentwood District. By 1986 the Chapel was a member of Saanich Deanery. It is listed in the synod journals of 1990 and 1993 as the Independent Parish of Brentwood Anglican Chapel. It is located at 792 Sea Drive, Brentwood Bay.

from https://www.memorybc...d-bay-b-c-fonds

Is that old church even still standing?

 

Times-Colonist
November 2, 2012

Brentwood Memorial Chapel Hall on Sea Drive in Central Saanich, listed at $385,000, sold to a private individual. The Brentwood Memorial Chapel and Chapel Rectory had encumbrances on their titles, now removed, which is why they were not put up for sale with the church hall. "We're just looking at alternatives now," says Chris Pease, asset manager for the Anglican Diocese of B.C.

Edited by aastra, 19 December 2020 - 10:11 AM.

If the VV gang had said to me:

"Let's all pile into the bus and drive out to the old Brentwood Chapel,"

I would have replied

"What you talkin' about, Willis?" (It would have been a very amusing cultural reference, for sure.)

And if the VV gang had later said to me:

"Let's all pile into the bus and drive out to the Brentwood College in Mill Bay,"

I would have replied:

"What is this Brentwood College of which you speak?"

I think it's the first time he's started the engine since the glory days of the Mason Street development protests.

What are we waiting for, our driver Nparker has the bus all fired up and he’s raring to go - all aboard!..

It's funny you should say this, since I grew up in Brentwood Bay and never heard the origin story of the chapel. It's not easy to find even for locals. I also never knew that the original Brentwood College was in this location. I always thought it was odd that a college with this name was in Mill Bay.