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Saanich association makes donation to historical building

Collage recognizes history of Royal Oak School House
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Former Royal Oak Schoolhouse students Peter Goddard, Enid Bull (nee Cuthbert), Pat Gait (nee Bosher) and Daryl Foster point to themselves in a collage presented to the Royal Oak Neighborhood House by Royal Oak Historical Association. (Submitted)

A donation from a Saanich society will help current and future users of the Royal Oak Neighborhood House learn more about its history.

The Royal Oak Historical Association earlier this year presented the building with a collage featuring historical photos of students who used the building when it was the Royal Oak School House.

The current building has a long and varied history that dates back to 1885, when it opened as the replacement of the first (Lake District) Royal Oak School that burnt down following its opening in 1865. The current building operated as school until 1952, when a new school opened on the other side of West Saanich Road.

Part of that site is now home to Royal Oak Middle School and Travino housing developments, according to the association.

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The building — which earned heritage status 37 years ago — has since served as a facility for several organizations, including the Boy Scouts, Cubs, Brownies and Girl Guides. A local bakery and coffee shop called Crumsby’s also operated out of the building for a time.

Saanich Neighbourhood Place moved into the facility last year.

wolfgang.depner@saanichnews.com


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Wolf Depner

About the Author: Wolf Depner

I joined the national team with Black Press Media in 2023 from the Peninsula News Review, where I had reported on Vancouver Island's Saanich Peninsula since 2019.
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