Oak Bay Street Names and Place Names

Street/Place Names

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Click on any letter, above, to visit specific section of Street/Place Names

St Ann Street

Origin uncertain, possibly after 1st-century Anne, wife of Joachin, and Mother of the Virgin Mary.

The legend of Anne as the Mother of the Virgin Mary originated in the mid-2nd century and gained momentum during the 4th century with the emergence of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Although rejected by both the Cistercian and Dominican orders, this doctrine fed a hunger for stories of the Holy Childhood during the Middle Ages. Today Anne is recognized by the Catholic Church as the Mother of the Virgin Mary

St David Street

Oak Bay Archives | 1994-001-029

1911 Roadwork
Click on image to view enlargement

Origin uncertain, probably after 8th-century Welsh bishop, Dafydd, canonized about 1120 to become patron Saint of Wales. Many Oak Bay street names are of Welsh origin.

Saint David, the son of a Cardigan chieftain, was given the title, "Aquaticus," indicating that beer, mead and wine were not tolerated within his monastic jurisdiction


	Teetotaller St David was an interesting choice for a namesake, considering that Oak Bay's first commercial establishment — the Willows Hotel (1864) — was a pub

St Denis Street

Origin uncertain, probably after 3rd-century bishop, Denis, who later became patron saint of France.

Denis was one of three bishops dispatched to Gaul (France) in the mid-third century. They established a Christian community on an island in the Seine but were subsequently taken to a hill by Romans and beheaded. The hill is remembered as "Montmartre" (mount of the martyrs)

St James Street

Origin uncertain, possibly after James the Great (died 44 AD), apostle and martyr

Original name of Transit Road between McNeill Avenue and Newport Avenue prior to 1930

St Louis Street

Origin uncertain, probably after either Louis (1214-1270), king of France canonized in 1297, or Louis of Toulouse (1274-1297), Franciscan preacher and bishop canonized in 1317.

St Lulie Street

Origin, after St. Lulie

Former name of Lulie Street. Renamed to avoid confusion with St. Louis Street

St Patrick Street

Origin uncertain, probably after 5th-century Christian missionary generally recognized as patron saint of Ireland.

San Carlos Place

Origin unknown.

Information welcomed

Sandowne Road

Origin uncertain, probably after Sandown Park Racecourse in Surrey, England, in deference to the horse racing heritage of the Carnarvon Park area.

Named by the Hudson's Bay Company


	England's Sandown Park has a long and distinguished history. It was designed and built as an enclosed racecourse when other tracks simply evolved from misty, medieval origins. It was to become the Queen Mother's favourite course.

see Willows Racetrack

Saratoga Avenue

Origin unknown.

Original name of Windsor Road, until 1921

Satellite Street

Named after HMS Satellite, a 21-gun steam corvette that served in local waters from 1857-1860.

Originally called Belmont Street but renamed Herrick Street in 1921. Subsequently renamed Satellite Street in 1928


	HMS Satellite served as a guardship at the mouth of the Fraser River in 1858 to regulate the inundation of Americans during the Cariboo Gold Rush. In 1859 it investigated the plunder of US brig Swiss Boy, an incident that involved local First Nations warriors. It subsequently served in South America and China before being decommissioned and dismantled in 1879.

Seagull Street

Origin descriptive.

Originally called Second Street. Renamed Lincoln Road in 1921 in deference to the existing Lincoln Road in the Uplands

Seaview Avenue

Origin descriptive.

Former name of Dalhousie Street between Dunlevey Street and Willows Beach. Name changed to Dalhousie Street in 1921 after consolidating Thistle Street (Willows Road to Cadboro Bay Road), Margaret Street (Cadboro Bay Road to Musgrave Street) and Seaview Avenue (Musgrave Street to Willows Beach)

Second Street

Origin descriptive, second street from the waterfront (Willows Beach).

Subsequently called Seagull Street until renamed Lincoln Road in 1921 in deference to the existing Lincoln Road in the Uplands

Scott Avenue

Origin unknown, possibly after early landowner Robert Scott who, in 1913, sold 3 1/2 acres to the municipality for the creation of Willows Park adjoining Willows Beach.

Former name of Dufferin Avenue, renamed in 1921

Information welcomed

Shady Lane

Origin descriptive.

Sheringham Place

Origin uncertain, possibly after Sheringham, Norfolk, England, renowned for its golf course established in 1891.

Sheringham Place is possibly the final topographical modification to the Uplands subdivision — a cul-de-sac created about 1960


	Sherringham Place is located in the Uplands opposite the Uplands golf course.

Shore Road

Origin descriptive, closest road to the waterfront in the Uplands.

Original name, until 1928, of the section of Beach Drive that ran through the Uplands

Smythe Street

Origin unknown.

Information welcomed

Somass Drive

Origin unknown.

Information welcomed

Somerset Road

Origin uncertain, probably after the county ¹ in southwest England known for its rolling hills and remarkable history.

Former name of Nottingham Road


	¹ English counties adjoining Somerset include Dorset and Devon, the names of two roads that adjoin Nottingham Road.

Sonora Place

Origin unknown. This short access road led into the South Foreland (Cattle Point area) prior to the development of the scenic loop in 1961. Originally called Deal Road.

Information welcomed

Southdowne Road

Origin unknown. Most of this road disappeared with the development of Uplands Park in 1946. Southdowne Road once extended across Beach Drive into Cattle Point

Stonehewer Place

Named after Stonehewer House, former residence of John Sutherland.

Information welcomed

Sunny Lane

Origin unknown, probably descriptive.

Sunset Avenue

Origin unknown, probably descriptive.

Surrey Road

Named after Surrey, England.

Sutherland Road

Named after John Sutherland, early resident and Oak Bay councillor.

Originally called Hudson Avenue but renamed in 1921

Information welcomed

Swanson Place

Origin unknown, possibly after Captain John Swanson of the Hudson's Bay Company's steamship, SS Beaver.

Sylvan Lane

Origin uncertain, probably descriptive, "wooded area."

PLACE NAMES

	Shingle Cove
	Small cove in The Uplands. Origin uncertain, probably descriptive, "a stretch of shore covered with water-worn pebbles and stones."
	Shoal Bay
	Large bay in south Oak Bay. Origin is descriptive, refering to its navigation hazards.
	see McNeill Bay
	Skegness Point
	Headland in The Uplands (immediately south of Humber Road) probably named after seaside town in Lincolnshire, England — one of the most famous seaside resorts in the United Kingdom.
	Spoon Bay
	Small bay in The Uplands. Origin uncertain, possibly descriptive but probably after coastal town in North Yorkshire, England.
	Spurn Head
	Headland in The Uplands named after narrow sandspit on the east coast of Yorkshire, England.

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