Behind the Tweed Curtain

"I think the Oak Bay district is one of the most lovely residential areas I have ever seen, and it is my desire to retain this beauty as far as possible..."

 Words spoken by the famous architect and one-time Oak Bay councilor and reeve Francis Mawson Rattenbury (1867-1935), who gave much to Victoria in his legacy of incredible designs, many of which remain landmarks today (the Parliament Buildings, The Empress Hotel, Glen Lyon-Norfolk School). And just like Rattenbury's long-lasting appeal, Oak Bay remains one of the strongest, united communities in Canada, 92 years after its inception as a municipality.

 Vibrant. Diverse. Oak Bay has put a stranglehold on its heritage by not growing any larger. Thirty years ago Oak Bay was home to just over 18,000 people. Today the number is 18,340. The municipal is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the east and south, the University of Victoria to the north and Foul Bay Road running the length of the west.

  Mostly residential, and largely single-family homes, Oak Bay is quiet and attractive, famous for its teas, its stately homes, terrific golf and British colonial heritage.

 Affectionately known as the 'Tweed Curtain", Oak Bay has traditionally been home to the influential, the famous and the moneyed. Many consider it an exclusive neighborhood, snobbish and stuffy. It is neither. Instead it represents a tight-knit region where the sadly antiquated value of watching out for each other remains dominant.