Observatory Hill (Saanich)

The NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre (NRC Herzberg, HAA) is the leading Canadian centre for astronomy and astrophysics. It is based in Victoria, British Columbia. The current Director-General, as of 2021, is Luc Simard.

The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, located on Observatory Hill, in Saanich, British Columbia, was completed in 1918 by the Canadian government. The Dominion Architect responsible for the building was Edgar Lewis Horwood. The main instrument is the 72 inch (1.83 meter) aperture Plaskett telescope, proposed and designed by John S. Plaskett in 1910 with the support of the International Union for Cooperation in Solar Research. The observatory has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada as it is a world-renowned facility where many discoveries about the nature of the Milky Way were made, and it was one of the world’s main astrophysical research centres until the 1960s.

Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is a cultural rather than political entity, usually defined as the thirteen easternmost municipalities of the Capital Regional District (CRD) on Vancouver Island as well as some adjacent areas and nearby islands. The Capital Regional District administers some aspects of public administration for the whole metro region; other aspects are administered by the individual member municipalities of Greater Victoria. Roughly, Greater Victoria consists of all land and nearby islands east of a line drawn from the southern end of Finlayson Arm to the eastern shore of Sooke Harbour, along with some lands on the northern shore of Sooke Harbour. Many places, buildings, and institutions associated with Victoria such as the University of Victoria, Victoria International Airport, and the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, are outside the City of Victoria itself, which has an area of just 19.5 square kilometres (7.5 sq mi) on the southern tip of Greater Victoria. Victoria is the locality indicated in the mailing addresses of several CRD municipalities and localities adjacent to Victoria. The central city of Victoria lends its name and cultural influence to many places and organizations in the metro region.

The Elk/Beaver Regional Park is a 1,072 acres (4.34 km2) park in Saanich, British Columbia, containing Elk Lake and Beaver Lake. Elk/Beaver Lake was known as the "Freshwater Playground of Victoria" in its heyday, the 1930s and 1940s. However, with the completion of the Pat Bay highway in the 1950s, focus turned "green" and measures were taken to start restoring the park to its natural state and protecting it. In 1966 Elk/Beaver Lake became a regional park.

Elk Lake is a large lake located in Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park in Saanich, British Columbia. Elk Lake and Beaver Lake are actually one lake as a shallow channel connects them. Elk/Beaver lake was known as the "Freshwater Playground of Victoria" in its heyday, the 1930s and 1940s. However, with the completion of the Pat Bay highway in the 1950s, focus turned to environmentalism, and measures were taken to start restoring the park to its natural state and protecting it. In 1966 Elk/Beaver lake became a regional park.

Camosun College is a community college located in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The college has two campuses, Lansdowne and Interurban, with a total enrollment of ~20,000 students (including Continuing Education). Camosun College also provides contract training for local business; research, innovation and prototyping services for industry; and trained co-op students for employers. The Lansdowne campus provides University transfer and access programs, as well as career, technical and vocational programs in the fields of the arts, sciences, business, Indigenous studies, dental hygiene and dental assistant programs. The Interurban campus delivers programs in access, business, trades, technologies, sport and exercise education, and health and human services. The college also hosts a student paper, The Nexus.The enabling legislation is the College and Institute Act.

The Victoria City Rowing Club is a non-profit rowing club located at Elk Lake in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. VCRC offers a variety of recreational and seasonal rowing programs and services including programs for beginners, corporate retreats, customized training camps, and private coaching. There are three classes of membership: Junior (individuals under 19 yrs), Senior (individuals over 18 yrs), and Masters (27+). The other seasonal programs include: Youth Learn to Row, Youth Rec Rowing, Youth Summer Camps, Adult Learn to Row, Adult Rec Rowing, Novice Masters, and Community Corporate Rowing Challenge. The colours of the VCRC uniform are green, white, and black. The uniform features a green top with a white 'V' on the back and the club logo on the front, with black bottoms. The oars have a white blade and a green chevron or 'V' on both sides. The white 'V' on the uniforms and the green 'V' or chevron on the oars are symbolic of the 'V' in Victoria. The Victoria City Rowing Club is one of four member user groups that comprise the Victoria Rowing Society (VRS) that use the Elk Lake facility. Other members of VRS are: The Greater Victoria Youth Rowing Society (GVYRS) that comprises eight middle and secondary schools; Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA); and the University of Victoria.

Saanich Peninsula (Straits Salish: W̱SÁNEĆ) is located north of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is bounded by Saanich Inlet on the west, Satellite Channel on the north, the small Colburne Passage on the northeast, and Haro Strait on the east. The exact southern boundary of what is referred to as the "Saanich Peninsula" (or simply as "the Peninsula") is somewhat fluid in local parlance. Surrounded by the Salish Sea, Saanich Peninsula is separated from Saltspring Island by Satellite Channel, Piers Island and Coal Island by Colburne Passage, and James Island by Cordova Passage in Haro Strait.

Saanich Commonwealth Place is a recreation center located west of the Patricia Bay Highway and north of Royal Oak Drive in Saanich, British Columbia in Canada. It was originally constructed in 1993 for the August 1994 Commonwealth Games, and is currently a prominent facility in the community. In 2002 the original weightroom was completely renovated and it re-opened for operation in 2004. Among the center's other features are a full-size gymnasium (7000 square feet), a 50-meter competition pool, 4.5 meter deep dive tank with 1-, 3-, 5-, 7.5-, and 10-meter boards, and the Bruce Hutchison Branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library. The building's construction is unique; it features a red dome in the shape of a slightly flattened square pyramid over the main pool area. The inside of the dome boasts dozens of large, intricately engineered sound absorption ceiling panels. Finally, stretching from about one-sixth to one-third of the way down the pyramid dome's four massive triangular sides, angled multi-pane windows replace the ceiling panels as the focus of a backstroker's view. The facility is often referred to as the "Commonwealth Pool" by residents of Greater Victoria. Located only 10 minutes by automobile from Saanich's new Uptown Shopping Centre and only 300 meters from the Royal Oak Transit Exchange, which is served by 12 BC Transit routes, it is highly accessible to all residents of the Capital Regional District.

Central Saanich is a district municipality in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Capital Regional District. It is located on the Saanich Peninsula. The district began as a farming community, and many hobby farms, along with a handful of small working farms and vineyards, still exist. In recent decades, the area has seen increasing residential, commercial, and industrial development, especially around the neighbourhoods of Brentwood Bay and Saanichton, which are occasionally referred to as separate communities. The area's best-known tourist attractions are the Butchart Gardens, located in the Brentwood Bay area, Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, and Island View Beach. The mayor of Central Saanich is former district councillor Ryan Windsor. Municipal councillors last elected in 2014 include Niall Paltiel, Carl Jensen, Alicia Cormier, Bob Thompson, Christopher Graham, and Zeb King.

The Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre (VIRCC) is a Regional Correctional Centre that is located in the District Municipality of Saanich, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It lies within metropolitan Victoria, British Columbia, in its northwest suburbs. The centre offers grief counseling to the family members of prisoners' deceased victims. On October 26, 1977, approximately 20 inmates took a prison officer hostage with a knife, but released him peacefully the next day. A prison riot at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre on April 26, 1983 led to ten prisoners being transferred to VIRCC. A prison riot at VIRCC in January 1985 led to 37 prisoners appearing before a disciplinary review board. On March 26, 2005, five inmates were charged with mischief after having together caused between $40,000 and $50,000 worth of damage to a living unit at the centre. In September 2006, David Johnston, a homeless man imprisoned at the VIRCC due to repeated sleeping on Beacon Hill Park and St. Ann's Academy property, went on a hunger strike to fight for the right to sleep outdoors and was supported by other homeless people who created a tent city. On February 22, 2007, inmate Wayne Allan Turner was found dead in the centre, hanging from a fire sprinkler head. British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union corrections and sheriff services component chairman Dean Purdy stated in March 2010 that there had been 63 assaults on the centre's guards by inmates since 2003 when the jail became overcrowded due to the closing of nine other British Columbia jails. An attempted prison escape by two prisoners was foiled in July 2011.

Maltby Lake is located in South southwestern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It is located 10 km north of Victoria, British Columbia in the Tod Creek Watershed. The lake is the headwaters for the watershed, which eventually feeds the world class Butchart Gardens. Named after Thomas and Richard Maltby, original owners of West part of Sec. 118 Lake District; Crown Grant 3882/3." Paid $22.00 in full for 22 acres September 22, 1873. Old name Highland Lake. Maltby Lake is a pristine freshwater source in the middle of a semi rural developing area on the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island. The lake and the surrounding area of pristine land hosts an abundance of wildlife, exotic aquatic life (including freshwater jellyfish) and one of the largest Douglas fir trees in the Greater Victoria area. For over a century the lake and surrounding lands have been owned by a single extended family, which developed the property minimally. The first dwelling, an 1860s hunting cabin turned farm house, still stands. Motorized watercraft have been banned by the family since the '50s; the lake provides a potable drinking water source for the few residents there. As land taxes continue to rise (in the order of 500x in the last 40 years), the owners endeavour to maintain this idyllic setting. Maltby Lake is an important water body in the Tod Creek Watershed. It contributes to the catchment area of Tod Creek which is estimated to be 22.8 km2 (8.8 mi2). Maltby Lake, Prospect Lake, Durrance Lake and Quarry Lake are all in the Tod Creek drainage area. Several studies have been conducted on the lake, including a Camosun College environmental study, a PhD on frogs and an ongoing study on the hydrology and hydrogeology of the lake. Excellent for swimming with access off Munn road.