Downtown Victoria Tour
Douglas Street – Sightseeing Guide
Douglas Street – 700 Block
The 700 block of Douglas Street runs between Belleville Street and Humboldt Street.
Thunderbird Park – Douglas Street at Belleville Street
Thunderbird Park was created in 1941 when several totem poles from the Royal B.C. Museum collection were put on display here.
In 1951 a carving program was started in Thunderbird Park with Chief Mungo Martin as head carver.
Thunderbird Park also features Helmcken House, the home of pioneer physician Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken.
Crystal Gardens – 701-711 Douglas Street
The Crystal Garden was designed and built in 1925 by architects Francis Rattenbury and Percy Leonard James for the Canadian Pacific Railway, which used it as a swimming pool and entertainment center as part of its Empress Hotel on the opposite side of Douglas Street.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
Douglas Street – 900 Block
The 900 block of Douglas Street runs between Courtney Street and Broughton Street.
912 Douglas Street – Rexall Drugs
This building at 912 Douglas Street was designed and built in 1953 by architect John Di Castri. It is now occupied by Rexall Drugs.
This building is considered an important example of mid-20th century architecture. In 2008 it was placed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. which considers it an important example of mid-20th century architecture.
Strathcona Hotel – 919 Douglas Street
The Strathcona Hotel, 905-919 Douglas Street, was built in 1911. It was originally designed by architect Henry S. Griffith as an office building called the Empress Block.
It was opened instead as the Strathcona Hotel and has operated under that name since. The Strathcona Hotel is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church – 924 Douglas Street
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 924 Douglas Street, at the corner of Douglas Street and Broughton Street, was designed in 1888 by architect L. Butress Triman. Construction was completed in 1890.
Early parishioners included the Dunsmuirs of Craigdarroch Castle, who donated the rose window on the Douglas Street facade.
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
Douglas Street – 1000 Block
The 1000 block of Douglas Street runs between Broughton Street and Fort Street.
1000-1012 Douglas Street / 680-690 Broughton Street
1000-1012 Douglas Street and 680-690 Broughton Street was built in 1920 by architect Percy Fox for Otto Weiler, a leading member of the Weiler family which also built the adjacent building at 636 Broughton Street/1005-1009 Broad Street and the Weiler Brothers Building at 921 Government Street, two blocks west on Broughton Street.
1001-1019 Douglas Street – Sussex Building
This historic building at 1001-1019 Douglas Street was built in 1938 by architect Studley Patrick Birley as the Sussex Apartment Hotel. In 1995 it was incorporated into the larger Mozart development at 720 Broughton Street.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
The Bentall Building – 1060 Douglas Street
Built in 1963-1964 by architect Frank Musson for Domonion Construction, the Bentall Building is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as an example of the International Style office tower.
Douglas Street – 1100 Block
The 1100 block of Douglas Street runs between Fort Street and View Street. The Bay Centre mall occupies the entire west side of Douglas Street in the 1100 block.
The Bay Centre – 1150 Douglas Street
Originally built in 1989 as the Eaton Centre, The Bay Centre is the largest indoor shopping mall in downtown Victoria.
It occupies the space between Douglas Street and Government Street on the east and west, and View Street and Fort Street on the north and south.
Douglas Street – 1200 Block
The 1200 block of Douglas Street runs between View Street and Yates Street.
Sayward Building – 1201-1213 Douglas Street
The Sayward Building was built in 1912 by architect George C. Mesher for Joseph Sayward.
The Sayward Building is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
Bank of Montreal – 1225 Douglas Street
Originally designed and built by architect Francis Rattenbury for the Merchant’s Bank of Canada. When the Merchant’s Bank of Canada was taken over by the Bank of Montreal in 1921 this building became a main downtown branch of the Bank of Montreal, along with 1200 Government Street.
After the branch at 1200 Government Street was closed in the 1980’s, this building became the primary downtown branch of the Bank of Montreal.
The building is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Merchants Bank of Canada.
Douglas Street – 1300 Block
The 1300 block of Douglas Street runs between Yates Street and Johnson Street. It contains several historically significant late 19th century commercial buildings.
1300-1306 Douglas Street – the Reynolds Block
1300-1306 Douglas Street was built in 1888 by architect John Teague for the Canadian Pacific Land & Mortgage Company.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Reynolds Block.
1308-1312 Douglas Street – the Lange Block
1308-1312 Douglas Street was originally built in 1891 by architect John Teague for Pauline Lange.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Lange Block.
1313 Douglas Street – Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Built in 1879 by architect John Teague for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which still owns the building.
The main floor is commercial space while the upper floor is used by the I.O.O.F.
1314-1324 Douglas Street – Doane Block
1314-1324 Douglas Street was built in 1891 for a “Miss Doane.”
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Doane Block.
1328 Douglas Street was originally built in 1878 for Thomas Nicholson, who used it for his grocery and liquor business.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Thomas Nicholson Grocery.
Douglas Street – 1400 Block
The 1400 block of Douglas Street runs between Johnson Street and Pandora Avenue.
1402-1406 Douglas Street – the Porter Block
This City of Victoria Heritage Building was built in 1900 by architect William Ridgway Wilson for Robert J. Porter, who used it for his butcher shop, R. Porter & Sons. Robert J. Porter was also a Victoria alderman and Mayor of Victoria 1919-1921.
This building was listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1995 as the Porter Block.
1450 Douglas Street – Hotel Rialto
1450 Douglas Street was originally built in 1911 by architect Leonard W. Hargreaves for Lim Bang, who opened it as the Prince George Hotel.
In 1917 it became the Douglas Hotel and operated under that name until 2007 when it was renovated and renamed the Hotel Rialto.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Hotel Douglas.
Douglas Street – 1500 Block and 1600 Block
The 1500 block of Douglas Street runs between Pandora Avenue and Cormorant Street. It is particularly notable for Victoria’s historic City Hall and the adjacent Centennial Square.
The 1600 block of Douglas Street runs between Cormorant Street and Fisgard Street.
Victoria City Hall – 1 Centennial Square
Victoria City Hall was originally built in 1878 by architect John Teague. The present building is comprised of the original building plus two 19th century additions, also designed by John Teague, in 1881 and 1890. A later addition was added to the west side of the building in 1964.
Victoria City Hall is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
1601-1609 Douglas Street – Fairfield Block
The Fairfield Block was built in 1912 by architect Henry S. Griffith for the real estate firm of Grant & Lineham. It still retains its original configuration of commercial space on the main level with residential space on the upper floors.
The Fairfield Block is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
1675 Douglas Street was built in 1992 for Centra Gas, which used this building as its corporate headquarters.
The Centra Gas Building was designed by the Vancouver architectural firm of Musson Catell Mackay, which has also designed many well known Vancouver buildings, including Three Bentall Centre, The B.C. Hydro Centre, Bentall 5, Carmana Plaza, The George, The Georgian Towers, Park Place, Pender Place, The VanCity Centre and Waterfront Centre.
Douglas Street – 1700 Block
The 1700 block of Douglas Street runs between Fisgard Street and Herald Street. It contains two historically significant buildings: the Masonic Temple, 650 Fisgard Street, at the corner of Douglas Street and Fisgard Street, and former Hudson’s Bay Company department store, now the Hudson condominiums and the Victoria Public Market, at 1701 Douglas Street.
Victoria Masonic Temple – 650 Fisgard Street at Douglas Street
The eastern section of the Victoria Masonic Temple, at Douglas Street and Fisgard Street, was designed and built in 1878 by architect John Teague (who was a Freemason).
A major addition was added to the west side of the building in 1909.
The Victoria Masonic Temple is still owned by Victoria Freemasons and has been used for Masonic purposes since 1878.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
1701 Douglas Street – The Hudson & the Victoria Public Market
1701 Douglas Street was built between 1914 and 1921 for the Hudson’s Bay Company, which opened it in 1922 as its Victoria department store.
The building was converted into The Hudson condominiums between 2008-2010.
It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Hudson’s Bay Company Department Store.
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