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GRACE
NICKELS from a CHEK TV broadcast May
2017
“This is where McKenzie
Avenue was put through, from Burnside past the Interurban…”
Grace Nickels is looking a photographs she took, at huge trucks
working across the street from her home, back in the 1970’s – when roads were
built through land her father once owned.
“I’ve never lived anywhere else. Two places in my whole life,
and why would I want to move?”
Why indeed! At ninety-three, Grace has lived her whole life in
the Marigold neighbourhood of Saanich.
“My grandparents came from England in 1862. His trade was
shipbuilding.”
Her grandfather came to Victoria, and bought land in Saanich.
“My grandparents farmhouse was situated where McKenzie Avenue is
now, and I still live on a piece of the property.”
And there’s a lot of memories.
“This was the house on Snowdrop where I grew up…and it’s still
standing!
“The streetlights were far and few between. There was one at
Marigold, which was put on by a fellow at night, on his bicycle…
“There was a dairy farm, a large dairy farm, from Grange Road,
to, now, McKenzie…then in later years, the Catholic Church bought it and built
the church, and then the school.”
Grace’s mother went to Craigflower School in the late 1880’s.
“She also went to Central Middle School, which is in town, and
they would have to go by horse and wagon.”
A generation later, Grace crossed through the dairy farm to walk
to her school.
“And we climbed over three different fences, or stiles, as they
were called, and you just hoped you didn’t step in something you shouldn’t
have” Grace remembers, with a smile.
“In the wintertime” she adds, about her trek to and from school,
“you would come home and find that Colquitz Creek had flooded over, and you
would have to wait for someone to come and pack you across, which my dad and
several other dads did.”
Grace has many more fascinating memories, of a life well-lived,
in a Saanich neighbourhood.
“I guess that’s the way it is. I’m happy where I am.”
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Goyette family history.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5BHELvejJ64UTZxLWdyWlU1bVk/view?usp=sharing
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Hi there, I'm looking for information about Lindsay Street in Royal Oak. Do you know of any references? Thanks! Carol Vincent
ReplyDeleteHello, I cannot find anything in our archive specifically about Lindsay St. The Saanich Archives might be your best source of information. I will pass your message on to a lady who grew up on a farm across Wilkinson from Lindsay. She may know something. Daryl.
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