Sidney

History

Historically, Sidney was a small farming community and the location of Vancouver Island's first flour mill. The heavily wooded forests of the region soon fostered sawmills and a thriving lumber industry.

The Saanich People have lived on the Saanich Peninsula for thousands of years prior to contact with Europeans. The Hudson's Bay Company obtained large tracts of forested lands from the Saanich People in 1852. James Douglas purchased much of the land in North Saanich in 1858, and one year later William and Charles Reay became the first settlers on the northern portion of the Saanich Peninsula when they purchased land from the Hudson's Bay Company. Some of this land is now the town of Sidney, incorporated as a village on 30th September 1952.

Sidney takes its name from nearby Sidney Channel and Sidney Island (originally known as Sallas Island). Captain Richards of the survey ship Plumper renamed it Sidney Island in 1859, after Fredrick William Sidney (later captain), also a member of the Royal Navy. The Saanich People knew the site as Tseteenus, meaning 'sticking out'.

Location

Sidney is located at the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island. It has a population of approximately 11,300, is east of Victoria International Airport, and is a few kilometers south of BC Ferries' Swartz Bay terminal. The town is also the only Canadian port-of-call in the Washington State Ferry system, with ferries running from Sidney to Anacortes, Washington. Sidney is located along Highway 17, which bisects the town from north to south. It is generally considered part of the Victoria metropolitan area.

The island-studded Haro Strait forms Sidney's eastern boundary. There is a large boating and marine industry in the area, ranging from marinas to boatbuilders and marine suppliers.

Places to See

• Sidney Museum and Archives
  
  Sidney By-The-Sea has a very interesting Historical Museum operated by the Society of Saanich Peninsula Museums and is devoted to the history of the early lives of Sidney and North Saanich pioneers, portrayed through photographs and artifacts. The museum is located at 2423 Beacon Avenue.
  
  
• British Columbia Aviation Museum
  
  The British Columbia Aviation Museum Society is dedicated to preserving aircraft and artifacts. The Society collects, restores, and displays aircraft and artifacts related to the history of aviation in Canada, with emphasis on British Columbia's aviation history.
  
  Museum activities include aircraft restorations to static or airworthy status, constructing engine displays, modeling aircraft, maintaining artifacts, books, pictures and videos representative of flight, and creating memorials to aviation and the people who made it happen. There are plans to expand the museum by adding more space, and naturally, adding more displays.
  
  Please come visit and view the gift shop, the Memorial Room, and the aircraft and artifact collection! Browse the museum on your own, or have one of the tour guides show you around.
  
  
• Marine Ecology Centre
  
  Located at the Port Sidney Marina, the Marine Ecology Centre allows visitors to explore the region's unique marine life. Take part in one of the available group programs, or explore at your own pace during the public walk-in hours.
  
  
• Victoria Butterfly Gardens
  
  Experience the sights of hundreds of exotic butterflies flying free in an indoor tropical paradise. Sense the smell of flowering plants, delicate orchids and the rainforest that is home to fascinating birds. Hear the waterfalls as the stream flows for the koi and provides a home for flamingos. Friendly staff, guided tours, an art and gift store, attached restaurant and plenty of free parking will compliment your visit to Victoria Butterfly Gardens.
  
  
• Butchart Gardens
  
  Benvenuto, Italian for 'welcome', is the name the Butcharts used for their original estate - now a National Historic Site of Canada, and still owned by family descendants. The Butchart Gardens offer 22ha (55 acres) of wonderful floral display in Greater Victoria. You will find spectacular views as you stroll along meandering paths and expansive lawns.
  
  In 1904, Jennie Butchart began to beautify a worked-out quarry site left behind from her husband's pioneering efforts in the manufacture of Portland cement at nearby Tod Inlet. Her venture remains a family commitment to horticulture and hospitality spanning over 100 years. From the exquisite Sunken Garden to the charming Rose Garden, this show garden still maintains the gracious traditions of earlier times.
  
  
• Mineral World
  
  Mineral World is a unique experiment in retail and has been recognized as one of the most innovative stores in Canada. Inside you will find beautiful jewellery, stone works of art, crystals, fossils, unique giftware, Earth Science displays, school and community programs, and of course, the famous Scratch Patch area.
  
  The Scratch Patch is an outdoor adventureland of gemstones, shells, and gold panning. Unique in North America, the Scratch Patch is free to visit. Buy a collector's bag and choose your own treasures by hunting through millions of gems such as amethyst, agate, jade, jasper and many others.

Things to Do

• Whale Watching
  
  Whale watching on Vancouver Island is awesome! No other spectacle of nature compares to the awe-inspiring sight of a massive killer whale breaching out of the deep blue water only 100 metres from your boat. Vancouver Island is well-known as the place to view migrating and resident whales in their natural surroundings, as well as providing a number of other wildlife-watching opportunities throughout the seasons.
  
  
• Hiking
  
  For the new or lone hiker, Vancouver Island's regional and provincial parks provide safe, well-maintained, and well-signed hiking trails through some of the most beautiful areas on the Island. Experienced or not, all hikers will benefit from joining a guided hike. A seasoned local guide can introduce you to new areas and trails and offer local history as well as identify flora and fauna along the way. Vancouver Island has numerous hiking tours to suit all levels.
  
  
• Kayaking
  
  For those who have paddled only in sheltered passages, sea kayaking along the outside waters of Vancouver Island is another world, one where you go big or you go home. However, if you pick your time, particularly in summer months, you'll find that the Pacific can be as well-behaved as a sleeping giant. The 60-kilometre (37-mile) ocean route between Sooke and Port Renfrew, with its string of beaches to touch on, can be paddled in a day.
  
  Of course, you don't have to do the entire length of this coast to enjoy an outing. Pick your launch locations, such as from French Beach, one of the few beaches where you can drive to within a short distance of a launch site. Two other good locations include Jordan River and Pacheedaht Beach.
  
  
• Fishing
  
  Sidney is a hub for saltwater fishing excursions. Year-round salmon fishing is available, as well as cod, snapper, halibut, sole, crab, prawns and shrimp in local waters. Boaters can launch at the Van Isle Marina, or at the Tulista Park boat ramp on Lochside Drive, beside the Anacortes Ferry Terminal.
  
  
• Diving
  
  Divers can explore the wrecks of the G.B. Church and the HMCS Mackenzie. Graham's Wall, Tozier Rock, The White Lady, Burial Islet, Octopus Point, and other hot spots off the peninsula's coast are accessible from Sidney, either as day charters or liveaboards.
  
  
• Golf
  
  Glen Meadows Golf and Country Club in Sidney is a challenging 18-hole championship golf course. Nearby golf courses include Sunshine Hills Golf Course (9 hole - Par 3) on Central Saanich Road in Saanichton and the challenging 9-hole Prospect Lake Golf Course on Prospect Lake Road in Central Saanich. The Victoria area boasts 8 championship golf courses in close proximity, including Cordova Bay Golf Club, Olympic View Golf Club, Gorge Vale Golf Club, Royal Colwood Golf Club, and Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club. Nearby Oak Bay has the Victoria Golf Club and Uplands Golf Course.

Events

• Artisans Show and Sale
  
  Artisans is a collection of contemporary and traditional painting, sculpture, pottery, woodwork, glass, weaving, quilting, metal work and folk art creations by local artists and craftspeople. Held at the Mary Winspear Centre.
  
  
• Capital Arts Festival
  
  The Capital Arts Festival promotes public awareness and appreciation of the arts, culture and heritage in the Greater Victoria Capital Regional District. It is a celebration of music, dance, theatre, visual arts and literary arts - up to fifty events in multiple venues over 2 weeks.
  
  
• Gallery by the Sea
  
  The Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula (CACSP) presents an annual display of paintings by local artists on the walls of the Fish Market on the pier at the foot of Beacon Avenue. Choose your favourite painting by voting at ballot boxes located in the Cannery Breezeway, at the Historical Museum, and at the Laroche Gallery. Paintings are for sale.
  
  
• Summer Theatre
  
  The Mary Winspear Centre presents the Sidney Summer Theatre Festival each summer during the months of July and August. The Festival includes both professional theatre companies and student theatre companies in a variety of productions. "Something for Everyone!" Summer theatre camps are also offered for various age groups in conjunction with the festival.
  
  
• Sidney Summer Market
  
  Experience Vancouver Island's best outdoor market every Thursday night from June 7 - August 30. Over 150 vendors sell gifts, fresh produce, hand-made crafts, great food, and so much more! Wonderful entertainment on every block!
  
  The market lines the main street of Beacon Avenue, between 1st and 5th Streets. Parking is available on side streets and public lots, and is permitted in municipal lots after 5:00 pm.

Contact Information

Town of Sidney

Municipal Hall
2440 Sidney Avenue Sidney, BC V8L 1Y7
Regular Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm

Website: www.sidney.ca