2001 February 3 / History Saturday CRANMORE ROAD When John Bowker's "Oak Bay Farm" was subdivided in the 1880s, a road – Tod Road* – was constructed through the middle of the subdivision to service the new lots. As the area developed, "Tod Road" was renamed "Cranmore Road" in 1921 after two early settlers – Ross Crane and A H Blackmore (Cran/more). * The Tod Road that we know today, running alongside Willows School, was once called Laburnum Gardens. (John Bowker was John Tod's son-in-law.) More Oak Bay history next Saturday . . . gwilcox@direct.ca February 8 / Sports For All We certainly had an excellent education at O.B.H.S. but I have often had good thoughts about our wonderful sports activities, both through junior high and high school. The opportunities were there for girls as well as boys. In the U.S. I have often been told that girls were left behind in sports at school. So I think we were very fortunate! - Lynne Lynne (Maclennan) Schulnik / lynnelj@hotmail.com February 8 / Oak Bay History Quiz The Oak Bay Tea Party In what year did Oak Bay hold its first Tea Party? What did it celebrate? Answer next Saturday . . . February 8 / Oak Bay History After reading Gary's latest history quiz question regarding the Oak Bay Tea Party, I went down to my library and located a book on Oak Bay history with visions of winning the fine Havana cigar. Unfortunately there was no mention of the tea party but I did stumble onto a picture of Oak Bay High teachers taken in 1927. There are three teachers who taught us when we attended Oak Bay in the photo and perhaps more. ...Of particular interest to me is the ghostly outline of our old home on the hill which is visible through the trees. - Richard rgoodall@sunwave.net February 8 / Oak Bay High Teachers Great photo Richard. I think I recognize a very dapper Mr Gibbard, a very flapper Miss Burridge, and a much unchanged Tommy Whittemore. Is that Miss Piggott in the back . . . A little OBHS trivia . . . In 1929 Mr Whittemore was acting principal of the old high school on Oak Bay Avenue (photo), so it was Tommy Whittemore who had the honour of leading the school into its new $100,000 building on Cranmore Road on February 29, 1929. - Gary Gary Wilcox / Vancouver / gwilcox@direct.ca February 9 / February Walk Hi All, A few of us "locals" are taking a walk for lunch every so often. Interested in joining us? Details below. Saturday the 17th, leave 11am, lunch at the Rum Runner at Sidney Harbourside, return by 2pm at latest. Total walk about 6k. ...We park at a tiny park along Lockside drive, reached by turning RIGHT off McTavish (airport exit) and traveling about a kilometre. Park is on the left. ...The walk will be straight and flat. Along the bike lane of Lockside, along the seawall, through the town to the Oceanside pubs and stores. Should take about 40 minutes. The Rum Runner sits nearest the sea with a fake lighthouse on top. We'll go without reservations except if numbers become threatening. Let me know if you plan to make it. - Dave Dave Foster / davfoste@islandnet.com February 10 / History Saturday In what year did Oak Bay hold its first Tea Party? What did it celebrate? The Oak Bay Tea Party Oak Bay's first Tea Party was held in 1962 in celebration of Victoria's centennial year. It actually was a tea party, with tea and crumpets being served to 200 invited guests seated at tables under the oak trees behind the Municipal Hall. Entertainment was provided by Fred Usher's Hometowners and the Katherine Costain dancers. * The following year, on July 6 and 7, a Tea Party was staged in Windsor Park to celebrate the 57th anniversary of the incorporation of Oak Bay. More Oak Bay history next Saturday . . . gwilcox@direct.ca February 11 / Tea Party The year I best remember the Tea Party was when I played the Butler on the Oak Bay Float and at the ceremonies at Willows. That was 1975 I think. Great fun. Then the next year someone was selling some craft with a pic of me on it. Thought I should have received some royalties from that but when one is a public figure that doesn't happen. I think Fred Usher was instrumental in getting me the job. We were in Oak Bay Kiwanis together. Ian February 17 / History Saturday Alexis Casanave's Sequoia Tree One of Oak Bay's first settlers was Alexis Casanave, an itinerant gold prospector who decided to settle in Victoria in 1875. He purchased 10 acres of John Tod's property alongside Bowker Creek and turned to farming – and raising a family of seven children, 3 of whom attended the district's first school in 1885. In his front yard he planted the seed of a Sequoia (Redwood) tree that he brought from California. ...Casanave's farm eventually became the schoolgrounds of our Oak Bay Senior and Junior High schools. His house remained on the property, beside the Junior High school, until about 1967 when it was demolished to enlarge the playing fields. His Sequoia tree, however, stands tall today. And at its base is a plaque that pays tribute to this pioneer Oak Bay settler. More Oak Bay history next Saturday . . . February 18 / on redwood from redoak Gary, your history about Oak Bay is fascinating!! Loved the picture of the sequoia, the story that goes with it, etc. And Dick's pic of the teachers in the '20s is amazing. (Will we have a reunion with vision in 2020?) Want to report I am just back in Canberra after a business trip to London where I had dinner at Connie Ballam's (maiden names rule, okay!?) and she had dinner with me at my hotel. We caught up on many matters, and reminisced with delight about the reunion and the continuing links. Sandy Home again in Canberra / redoak@dynamite.com.au February 18 / the walk And wish we could join you on Saturday for the walk and lunch! Have a good one, and post pics!! Sandy February 19 / Big Win! I just watched Lee Gould and his "partner" accept a lottery cheque for 1 million big ones! Must have won it Saturday. We should replay Lee's biography... a beer in the fridge etc. I'm happy for him. The walk was postponed. Should make it this Saturday same time. Dave Dave Foster / davfoste@islandnet.com February 20 / Lee's win Well Lee, I am sure the entire class wishes you much happiness with your win and trusts that you will now have two beers in a new fridge plus many good years above ground. Richard rgoodall@sunwave.net February 24 / History Saturday The Patrick Arena When many of us were attending Oak Bay Junior High School in the mid '50s there was a vacant lot just across the street from the school – at the corner of Epworth Street and Cadboro Bay Road. In fact there were 6 vacant lots, all along Epworth. This is where the Patrick Arena once stood until it was destroyed by fire in 1929. As unlikely as it might seem, much of the story of hockey was written on this historic piece of real estate. ...The Patrick Arena opened on Christmas Day, 1911 and just days later – on January 3, 1912 – history was made in this building when the first hockey game on artificial ice was played in Canada. ...And in this same building, in 1925, the Stanley Cup was won by our local team when Lester Patrick's Victoria Cougars defeated the visiting Montreal Canadiens. For a moment in time our local hockey team was the best in the world. ...But of more profound significance, the Patrick Arena was the birthplace of numerous innovations – the blue line, forward passing, line changes on the fly, and many more – that have made hockey the game it is today. Some of these innovations – numbers on jerseys, and post-season playoffs – have changed the face of sport in general. ...An apartment block stands on this site today, but for a few glorious years this was the center of the hockey universe. More Oak Bay history upcoming . . . Please contact Gary Wilcox if you have any information, photos or recollections to share gwilcox@direct.ca The History of Oak Bay Website February 24 / The Arena That was most interesting Gary. I wonder how many people watching Hockey Night In Canada are aware of that. Richard rgoodall@sunwave.net February 24 / Truancy Was there ever a truant officer in Oak Bay? I do not have an answer to that question but I can recall reading in the Colonist at some point in the mid to late fifties about a truant officer driving to the top of Mt. Douglas and parking his car while hot on the trail of kids skipping school. While he was out on foot the truants circled around and pushed his car over the edge where it tumbled down the mountainside. They were not apprehended. ...I also recall my father reading excerpts of the report from the paper, pausing now and then to suggest appropriate punishment including being sent to sea and getting keel hauled a few times or public flogging. ...That was the first and last time I heard of a truant officer employed in Victoria but I must admit to finding the episode extremely amusing at the time. Richard rgoodall@sunwave.net February 25 / Joan McCormick We seem to have lost Joan somewhere out there. At the time of the reunion, one of you provided me with her email and street address in San Francisco but for some reason I cannot find the record in my files. Late last year her email address became inactive and she is not listed at the old address. ...If anyone has a lead on this or knows her brothers, could they let me know. Richard rgoodall@sunwave.net February 27 / Original Reunion Email OUR REUNION - THE BEGINNING This is the original email I received from Sandy a year ago today that started a flood of messages and phone calls to many corners of the globe. In a few short months we pulled off perhaps the most successful reunion our old school has seen. Reply-to: Sandy Forbes" redoak@dynamite.com.au From:"Sandy Forbes" redoak@dynamite.com.au To: rgoodall@shuswap.net Subject: OBHS Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 Dear Richard, A voice from the past...I was Sandra McKeachie at OBHS 40 odd years ago... I am trying to see if there is any interest in having a 40th year anniversary celebration of our graduation... Have found the website and your email address in it... So I have been in touch with the principal who replies that nothing is in the works yet. I emailed John Youson who was student's council president (Prof of Biology at U of T) and he agrees good idea but thinks we should check on interest on the ground in Victoria... So I have also emailed a couple of others there...they are checking to see if interest around Victoria/Oak Bay.. Wonder how you would feel about it? Suggest early June...in Victoria, of course..tea at the school on a saturday afternoon, drinks at the Snug, dinner somewhere? Would you be interested; would you attend? I am living in Australia but through the medium of the email could help organize...and could be there. Starting with you and others who have taken enough interest to list contact detail on the website... Cheers, Sandy Forbes Thanks again Sandy for the inspiration. With much appreciation – The "Class of '60"