Pedi cabs, rickshaws, horse and carriage... there are ample ways to tour James Bay, and listen to commentary -- as well as, take a more conventional tour bus ride through the area. All are promoted as giving a balance of experience and education.
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| Horse and carriage on Government Street. |
When cruise ships are docked at Ogden Point, the pedi cabs and rickshaws start there.
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| Pedicabs at Ogden Point waiting for cruise ship passengers. The "Flower Mural Walk Way" beside the pedicabs was painted a few years ago by muralist Renée Audy. |
"Experience melodic hoof beats as your eyes indulge in the natural ecosystem of Beacon Hill Park.""Learn about the rich history of Western Canada's oldest
neighborhood and its connection to the development of Victoria through the fur
trade and the gold rushes that funded the construction of the beautiful homes
still standing in the neighbourhood today."
"...Regale in
stories of past and present while weaving through the historical streets of
James Bay."
These foregoing descriptions are taken from the website of Victoria Carriage Tours. I've heard guides talk about the houses of James Bay, the Olympic mountains across the strait of Juan de Fuca, the ferries that take passengers to the US.
I think there are other stories, stories that could be told instead. These are some of the things I might focus upon, were I touring a group through James Bay and Beacon Hill Park.
Trees
I know I would talk about trees! Victoria is a city of trees, and has done a lot to protect them.
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| Who cannot walk Victoria and not notice the wondrous trees... and the efforts that have been made to preserve them -- as here, where the tree has been pruned, but not removed, for hydro wires. |
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| One more example of pruning, this time, a blooming horse chestnut. |
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| The Giant Sequoias are an imposing presence in James Bay, and Beacon Hill Park. These two mark the entrance of Iriving Park. The park, which used to be part of the estate of the Irving family, has at least one other Giant Sequoia and a large Beech. And there is a popular Giant Sequoia in Beacon Hill park near the children's farm. It's the site of many photo opportunities with children sitting on a convenient horizontal branch. |
The Giant Sequoia is non-native, imported from California.
My tour would also pay homage to the native Garry Oak tree.
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| A beautiful Garry Oak along the Inner Harbour, north of the Huntington Hotel. |
Garry Oaks are host to multitudes of beneficial insects which depend upon them for sustenance.
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| Garry Oak leaves late in the summer, showing how they've been chewed upon by a variety of insects. |
On my tour, I'd show visitors the tree below in Beacon Hill Park, and point out how fallen trees are important for many forms of wildlife.
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| Sign on a downed tree at Beacon Hill Park |
I would highlight how Victoria goes out of its way to protect trees during summer drought, giving many trees a good soaking with an ingenious portable water tank.
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| Portable water tank soaking the ground around a horse chestnut during the dry season. |
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| The amazing native arbutus tree, renewing its bark. I love how it transforms from the bright green to copper. Depending on the time of the year, I'd find an arbutus tree to show visitors. |
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| I'd also point out how trees are protected during construction. |
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| Although I've not seen tours at the top of Beacon Hill, perhaps they do go there. I'd point out the historic importance of this hill to the Lekwungen peoples, as signified by these large rocks which had ceremonial significance. |
I'd also talk about the importance of the camas in the meadows as a food source for the Lekwungen who harvested the bulbs.
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| Blue Camas on the slopes of Beacon Hill |
The final element of the "tree" part of my guided tour would be to explore art that pays homage to trees. Here's one example, from along Dallas Road.
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| Painted onto the seawall steps, along Dallas Road. Mural by "Fua Collective". |
Walkability
If I was a tour guide, I'd enjoy pointing out how there are always people walking the streets of James Bay. And I'd describe the ways Victoria is working to improve infrastructure for alternate modes of transport to automobiles -- making cycling and walking safer and more convenient. Many tourists come from areas where the "car is king" and may not have been introduced to other ways of thinking about walking and cycling.
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| The cycle and pedestrian paths along Dallas Road are used so heavily that they could each have been double their width! Perhaps in the future, the lanes for vehicles will be reduced, and more space given over to self-propelled transportation. |
Signage encourages cruise ship passengers to walk.
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| It's great to see the good signage for tourists who want to walk from the cruise ship terminal to downtown. |
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| I don't know how long ago Avalon Road was closed to access from Government Street.The end of Avalon Road is now a pleasant garden and sitting area, with a pedestrian pathway. |
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| Another blocked-off road access converted to a sitting area and small garden. This is at the end of Montreal Street. |
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| A pedestrian connection corridor. It's great to see these in Victoria; they show care and thoughtfulness for the experience of the pedestrian. |
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| Some of the large houses in James Bay contain multiple units; the City calls them "house-plexes". |
As well as a diversity of housing, there is a diversity of land uses in James Bay. It is never boring living here!
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| For Good Measure on Niagara Street sells bulk and specialty foods. I often see carriages and pedicabs rolling right by, on their way to Beacon Hill Park. I wonder if the tour guides point out how unusual it is to see a grocery store on its own in the middle of a residential area! |
Another isolated small grocery store is Little Gems on Superior Street. The idea of a grocery store in the middle of a residential area might scare many people, yet not only do they work in James Bay, but they are an essential part of the community's livability.
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| A "corner" grocery store serving James Bay residents |
Historically, Ogden Point was an industrial working site. Besides cruise ships, other craft moor at the point for various reasons, including repairs. If I was a tour guide, I'd point out both the benefits and the challenges to the community of this connection.
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| A busy day at Ogden Point -- three cruise ships and two pilot boats! |
To conclude this post: yes, the Victorian-era houses of James Bay are beautiful and contribute to its ambience. And yes, the ocean and Beacon Hill Park are wonderful connections to nature available to all residents of the community. But there are some other unique aspects of the community that give it that ambience -- its trees, its walkability, and its diversity. In my dream tour, I'd make sure that visitors were given the opportunity to explore those other elements. They all contribute to sustainability, and in my dream tour, perhaps some visitors might take ideas back to their home communities.
As a final note, I use the word "community" advisedly. James Bay has several active neighbourhood groups. The James Bay Neighbourhood Association advocates on behalf of residents with regard to planning questions, and organizes services such as local recycling days and seed swaps. The James Bay Community Project provides services to support those in need, including things like a weekly lunch, and James Bay New Horizons offers a host of support and recreational services for seniors. And, the community has religious organizations, such as the very active United Church.
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| Kindness, justice, compassion ... yes! |
Finishing my tour of James Bay on the side of kindness, justice and compassion seem appropriate themes to conclude with.
