BASTION SQUARE (1967)

City of Victoria Planning Department

In 1963, under the direction of city planner Rod Clack, Bastion Square was developed as a heritage book-end to the modern scheme for Centennial Square. View Street was closed off and a pedestrian sanctuary was created, set off by restored historic buildings on three sides and a magificient view across the harbour on the fourth. It was to feature a major public amenity, the old Provincial Supreme Court building recycled as the Maritime Museum of British Columbia. The museum has come and stayed, but over time the edge buildings cycled through various uses as restaurants, retail stores, and office spaces. Problems with the design of the square itself compromised the possiblity of its success as an attractive urban space. In 1994, M. Lam was hired by the City of Victoria to renovate and rework the arrangement of the square so as to make it more easily accessible and more welcoming to pedestrians. Lam achieved this by establishing a "ceremonial" entry arch, at View and Government Streets. This leads to a grand staircase that links the Square with Wharf Street and provides an uninterrupted view of the harbour. On the Wharf Street side, at the foot of the steps, is a floorscape mosaic, "Compass Rose", by local artist, J.C. Scott.

Individual Buildings

Board of Trade building 1892

Law Chambers 1899

Burnes house 1886

Macdonald Block 1863

Beaver Building 1882

Chancery Chambers 1905

Supreme Court Building (Now Maritime Museum) 1889

Look at Centennial Square

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