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Western Communities, British Columbia

British Columbia Coast geography stubsGreater VictoriaPopulated places in the Capital Regional DistrictUse Canadian English from January 2023

The Western Communities, also called the West Shore (e.g. West Shore RCMP) or Westshore (e.g. Westshore Town Centre), is the suburban municipalities of Colwood, Langford, Metchosin and The Highlands, Langford and unincorporated districts west of Esquimalt Harbour and Portage Inlet, and south of the Malahat in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia, Canada. The Town of View Royal, which straddles Esquimalt Harbour, may also be included. It is an area of growing residential subdivisions and commercial centres. West Shore Park & Recreation is governed by the West Shore Parks & Recreation Society's Board of Directors made up of representatives from the City of Colwood, the City of Langford, the District of Metchosin, the District of Highlands, the Juan de Fuca Electoral area and the Town of View Royal.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Western Communities, British Columbia (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

Western Communities, British Columbia
Veterans Memorial Parkway,

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N 48.436 ° E -123.504 °
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Veterans Memorial Parkway

Veterans Memorial Parkway
V9B 5T6
British Columbia, Canada
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Colwood, British Columbia
Colwood, British Columbia

Colwood is a city located on Vancouver Island to the southwest of Victoria, capital of British Columbia, Canada. Colwood was incorporated in 1985 and has a population of approximately 19,000 people. Colwood lies within the boundaries of the Greater Victoria area or Capital Regional District, in a region called the Western Communities, or the West Shore. It is one of the 13 component municipalities of Greater Victoria. Set along more than 5 km of oceanfront, this fast-growing seaside community is home to abundant forests, parks and trails as well as several historic sites including Fort Rodd Hill, Fisgard Lighthouse and Hatley Castle. One of Colwood's best known landmarks is Hatley Castle, now home to Royal Roads University. It is a Scottish Baronial mansion and grounds originally built as a residence for James Dunsmuir, Premier and later Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Colwood almost became the seat of the Crown of the Commonwealth realm in 1940, when, after the start of World War II, the government planned to relocate King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and their children, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, to the castle for protection. But they decided to stay in London and Windsor, near the European front. The government transferred the estate to the Canadian Armed Forces. It adapted the site for use as Royal Roads Military College, a naval training facility from 1941-mid-1990s. The military college was closed in the 1990s, and the estate is now the campus of the public Royal Roads University, which opened in 1995. The original residence is surrounded by extensive formal gardens, including a featured Japanese garden. The Fisgard Lighthouse in Colwood is one of Canada's National Historic Sites. There hasn't been a keeper here since the light was automated in 1929, but every year many thousands of visitors step inside a real 19th century light and capture some of the feeling of ships wrecked and lives saved. Built by the British in 1860, when Vancouver Island was not yet part of Canada, Fisgard's red brick house and white tower has stood faithfully at the entrance to Esquimalt Harbour. Once a beacon for the British Royal Navy's Pacific Squadron, today Fisgard still marks home base for the Maritime Forces Pacific of the Royal Canadian Navy. Colwood is also home to historic Fort Rodd Hill, another Canadian National Historic Site. Built by the British in the 1890s, this coast artillery fort was designed to defend Victoria and the Esquimalt Naval Base. Visitors come to explore the three gun batteries, underground magazines, command posts, guardhouses, barracks and searchlight emplacements that are the vestiges of a bygone era. Set on a wide open waterfront park near the Fisgard Lighthouse, visitors can see the sea and mountain views, go for bird watches and investigate the tide pools along the shoreline. The city has many regional amenities, including the City's waterfront at Esquimalt Lagoon which includes a National Migratory Bird Sanctuary, the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre, The Q Centre, Royal Colwood Golf Club, Olympic View Golf Club and the library facilities for the Western Communities. As it lies geographically to the south of Victoria, Colwood is western Canada's southernmost city.