The Oak Bay Encyclopedia ^TM
T . H . E . .. E . A . R . L . Y . .. Y . E . A . R . S

A listing of noteworthy
people, places and things from
Oak Bay's early years

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Click on any letter, above, to visit specific section of encyclopedia

	U
	Undersea Garden(s) (Oak Bay) 1964–1969 1327 Beach Drive
	popular Oak Bay attraction until relocating to the Inner Harbour
	Undersea Garden
	In 1962, when the municipality decided to replace the old boathouse with a modern marina complex, word went out to developers for their ideas. Several proposals were submitted and the contract (and an unprecedented 30-year lease) was given to Bob Wright for his Oak Bay Marina/Restaurant concept.
	The municipality also received an interesting proposal from local entrepreneur, Charlie White, for his unique underwater aquarium facility called Undersea Garden. White was given a tentative six-month lease at the new marina complex.
	When the Oak Bay Marina officially opened in 1964, the Undersea Garden proved to be a great success and became a popular attraction at the marina for the next five years, afterwhich it relocated to Victoria's inner harbour in 1969.
	The relocation of the Undersea Garden to the inner harbour left a huge void at the Oak Bay Marina that Bob Wright quickly filled with his Sealand (subsequently Sealand of the Pacific) aquarium attraction, which opened in 1969. Wright and White, once colleagues, now became competitors.1
1 Ultimately Sealand of the Pacific closed in 1992 and Bob Wright purchased Charlie White's Undersea Garden franchise, renaming it Pacific Undersea Gardens.
	see Oak Bay Boathouse, Oak Bay Marina, Sealand (of the Pacific)
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	United Service Golf Club 1887–1922
	former name of Uplands Golf Club before 1922
The United Service Golf Club originated at McCauley Point in 1887. It was built as a recreational nine-hole facility for servicemen stationed in Esquimalt. The name relects this patronage. After relocating to Oak Bay in 1912 it was also called the Municipal Golf Club before incorporating as the Uplands Golf Club in 1922.
	see Uplands Golf Club
	United Sports Club 1927
	"quis separabit"
	Private Collection Promotion Private Collection Club House Click on image to view enlargement
	The United Sports Club was short-lived, but remains a fascinating piece of Oak Bay history. It existed for about a year through 1927.
	It was a men's club offering golfing, hunting, fishing, boating, hiking and bathing — "everything in outdoor sports and pastimes."
	The Club House, earlier known as "Ankatell Lodge" was located at 1101 Beach Drive – directly opposite the entrance to the Victoria Golf Links, whose clubhouse was completed in 1928.
	The motto of the United Sports Club, "quis separabit," was originally a biblical expression meaning "who shall separate (us from the love of the Lord)" but has become a motto of solidarity — "who shall separate us" — used by military and fraternal organizations such as the Royal Dragoon Guards, The Royal Ulster Rifles, the Irish Guards, the Order of St. Patrick and, more recently in Oak Bay, the United Sports Club.
	The border around their c1927 promotion flyer is decorated with swastikas which, before being perverted by the Nazi party in the 1930s, denoted "well-being" in many cultures around the world for thousands of years. Early native Americans decorated their weaving and potttery with swastikas to convey "good luck."
The house used by the United Sports Club was built in 1913 for architect William Wallace Blair and his wife Margaret. After Blair's death, Mrs Blair and her son lived at 1101 Beach Drive until 1926, afterwhich time it was occupied by the United Sports Club through 1927 and stood vacant in 1928. In 1929 the Hon Nelson Lougheed was listed as resident.
	Uplands, (The)
	Uplands
	"The Uplands residential development was originally started by a French development company. The streets and sidewalks were built by a young paving contractor from Spokane, Washington. He later became famous as a great American industrialist — Henry J. Kaiser. During World War II the Canadian military conducted training manoeuvres in the area of Uplands Park and Cattle Point." — Terry Murphy
	Profile under development
	Uplands Coffee Shop
	serving Uplands golfers
	1940s matchbook cover Click on image to view enlargement
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Uplands Farm
	the Hudson's Bay Company farm in Oak Bay
	Uplands Farm Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Uplands Garage & Motor Co 2589 Cadboro Bay Road (1927–1939, 1951–1955 city directories) 2590 Cadboro Bay Road (1930–1939, 1950–1968 city directories)
	Uplands Service Station & Garage 2589 Cadboro Bay Road (1940 city directory) 2590 Cadboro Bay Road (1941–1949 city directories)
	Oak Bay Archives | 2016-027-001 Uplands Garage (c1930) Oak Bay Archives | 2012-001-027 Uplands Garage (c1970) Click on image to view enlargement
	COMPLETE AUTO REPAIRS SHELL PRODUCTS - GOODYEAR TIRES Cadboro Rd at Estevan 2590 Cadboro Bay . . . . . . . . . 3-4742 — 1957 Yellow Pages ad
The 2589 address was the previous location of Olympia Garage
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Uplands Golf Club 1922 — 3300 Cadboro Bay Road
	Uplands Golf Club
	Originating at McCauley Point in Esquimalt in 1887 as the nine-hole course of the United Services Club, the organization relocated to Oak Bay in 1912 as the Municipal Golf Club before incorporating as the Uplands Golf Club in 1922.
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Uplands Greenhouses 2270 Kinross Avenue (1949–1967 directories/phone books)
	Flowers & Bedding Plants Entrance at 2270 Kinross Ave. Near Cadboro Bay Rd. K. JOHANSEN 2270 Kinross . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-0689 — 1957 Yellow Pages ad
	Click here to see 1954 aerial photo of greenhouses
Former location of Baldwin's Nurseries
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Uplands Grocery 2491 Cadboro Bay Road (1930–1970...)
	OPEN EVENINGS - FREE LOCAL DELIVERY Corner of Cadboro Bay and Todd A GOOD STORE IN A GOOD TOWN 2491 Cadboro Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-0903 — 1957 Yellow Pages ad
The spelling of Tod is incorrect in the ad.
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Uplands Park 1946 —
	deeded to the municipality in 1946 "for the purpose of a public park in perpetuity"
	Uplands Park
	This 75-acre site was part of the original Uplands subdivision laid out in 1912. In 1946 this property was deeded to the Municipality in lieu of back taxes accumulated through the difficult economic times of two World Wars and the Great Depression.
The original plans for the Uplands, a showpiece subdivision, envisioned all streets radiating from Midland Way, the intended grande boulevard of this "garden community." However, delinquent taxes resulted in the forfeiture of land to the municipality for the creation of Uplands Park. Consequently the original grande boulevard concept lost its symmetry and Midland Way was reduced to Midland Road, a dead-end street.
	Uplands Streetcar 1913–1947
	built in 1913 to help developers market an upscale "garden community" subdivision
	Robert Loewing photo Uplands Streetcar Click on image to view enlargement
	Uplands was one of three streetcar lines to service Oak Bay in the early years. The other two lines were Oak Bay and Willows. see Wards
	The Uplands line started on February 3, 1913 and served the community until December 1, 1947.
	Click on MEMORABILIA to view or contribute recollections, photographs and artifacts
	Uplands Taxi 2019 Oak Bay Avenue (1952–1962... phone books)
	— ad in 1952 phone book Click on image to view enlargement
	Uplands Taxi debuted in 1952 and advertised "unmarked cars" for its Uplands clientele.
Uplands Taxi was competing with Newport Taxi for Uplands clientele. Newport Taxi offered chauffeur-driven unmarked luxury vehicles.
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Uplands Telephone Company 1912–1950
	proprietary infrastructure in an exclusive community Bruce Kapron photo Uplands Manhole Cover Click on image to view enlargement
	Until 1935, Uplands was an entity unto itself. The development of its infrastructure proceeded outside the bylaws and jurisdiction of both the municipality and the city.
	Unlike elsewhere, telephone poles were not used to carry power and phone lines. All lines ran underground — to preserve the aesthetic of a garden community.
	The underground telephone system in the Uplands was sold to the BC Telephone Company in 1950.1
	"A few years ago I learned from a Telus repairman that there used to be an Uplands Telephone Company. He also told me that it was still possible to find manhole covers with "Uplands Telephone" on them. I finally managed to find one (in the 3000 block of Midland) last week [May 2010]. I'm attaching a photo." —.Bruce Kapron
1 Murdoch, George. The History of the Municipality of Oak Bay. (1968) p 110.
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Uppingham House private school 1543 York Place (1920—1931 city directories) 1647 Hampshire Road (1934 phone book) Oak Bay Archives Uppingham House School late 1920s
	1543 York Place was originally the 1898 residence, Garrison House, of The Honourable Frederick Peters.
	From 1920 until 1931 Garrison House became Uppingham House, a private, preparatory school for girls.
	In 1932 the house was vacant and soon destroyed by fire.
Famed Uppingham School in England was founded in 1584. Located in Uppingham, Rutland, it is one of the leading British coeducational boarding schools for boys and girls from 13 to 18. The school has the greatest area of playing fields of any school in England and is renowned for its music program.
	see The Honourable Frederick Peters, Garrison House
	Photos, artifacts and recollections welcomed
	Usher's Confectionery Store 2205 Oak Bay Avenue (1930–1957... phone books)
	newspapers, magazines and a soda fountain. Popular through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s
	. SOFT DRINKS ICE CREAM MAGAZINES. . .USHER'S CONFECTIONERY . . . .2205 OAK BAY AVENUE. . . . . SCHOOL SUPPLIES. GREETING CARDS TOBACCOS . — text from ad in 1951 OBHS Oak Leaf yearbook
Former location of Avenue Confectionery Subsequent location of Fisher's Confectionery
	Click on MEMORABILIA to view or contribute recollections, photographs and artifacts

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