Look for full details on page 2 PROGRAMS STARTING NOW! Star search
Saanich observatory could reopen to public by May Page A4
DRIVEWAY: Chrysler wheels out sedan slugger /A13 SPORTS: Grizzlies open semifinal series tonight /A19 HOMEFINDER: Peninsula offers value in market /A24
SAANICHNEWS Friday, March 28, 2014
Gray Rothnie
250 744 7034
www.graymatters.ca
Connected to More
®
Watch for breaking news at WWW.VICNEWS.COM
New kids on the old block Heritage Bistro owners take local history to heart Kyle Slavin News staff
The eyes of the Prospect Lake community are on Steven Haley-Browning and Graham Little. The owners of the Heritage Bistro on West Saanich Road are getting a lot of attention in rural Saanich for melding old with new in a building rich with history. The restaurant, at the corner of West Saanich and Prospect Lake roads, is the latest tenant to occupy a 101-year-old building that started life as the Prospect Lake General Store in 1913. “What’s it like being in such an old building? High hydro bills,” Haley-Browning says with a laugh. “I swear it’s haunted. There are days we left at night where the lights were off, and we came back the next morning and the lights were on. We checked the alarms and no one’s come in or out. It’s got memorabilia since the time this place has its own little quirks, its own little stories.” Despite Heritage Bistro being new to been around and the different areas of busithe community – it opened on Feb. 17 – ness it has done. … You don’t get that (community connection) in a once you step inside you’re new building.” treated to a walk down mem“A lot of For most of the 20th century, ory lane, with walls covered in historical photos of the community members the building operated as a general store. That’s changed in building’s storied past. have come in and the last decade, as ownership “A lot of community memswitched hands five times. Until bers have come in and given given us their (old) 2008, it operated as Prospect us their pictures from when pictures.” Lake Market. For less than a this was a postal outlet and - Steven Haleyyear, in 2008, it was SOL (Sam a general store. There’s phoBrowning Otter Links) Farms. From 2008tos with the trolley cars in 2010 it was Ken’s Café at Prosfront of it, and people hitching their horses in front to come in,” says pect Lake, then Tia’s Heritage Café Co. from Haley-Browning, operations manager. 2010 to late 2013. The second floor of the two-storey build“These things should be in a museum; it’s
Above: An old photo that hangs inside the Heritage Cafe shows a scene from when the building was a general store. Left: Steven Haley-Browning, co-owner of the Heritage Bistro, in front of the historic building, with a photograph from 1957. Don Denton/News staff
Storied past ing contains a living area, but it’s being used as office space right now. Haley-Browning, former owner of Haley’s Hideaway in Sidney, says operating a restaurant in rural Saanich is a very different experience from being located on a busy, walkable street. “There’s a learning curve. We’re on the way to The Butchart Gardens, at the entrance to Prospect Lake. Something like 10,000 cars go by here every day. As far as being out in the middle of nowhere, we are but we’re not,” he said. “This place, the building, is a destination.” Heritage Bistro is at 5303 West Saanich Rd. For more info on the restaurant, visit islandculinaryservice.ca. editor@saanichnews.com
On March 15, 1911, Saanich pioneer John Durrance signed a land transaction with Saanich to take ownership of the property at what became 5303 West Saanich Rd. He paid $200 for the land. Rancher Samuel McCullough, who moved from Ireland with his wife Susanna in the early 1890s, built the Prospect Lake General Store around 1913. Their daughter Sarah and her husband, John (Jock) Nisbet Findlay, a roofer, ran the store, which included the local post office. Between 1946 and 1963, Jack and Evelyn Durrance owned and operated the store. Jack was the son of John Durrance. The building was added to the Saanich Heritage Register around 1991. – Courtesy of Saanich Heritage Register
Marketing Homes Since 1985 with Trust ... Service ... Integrity Thinking of selling? Call 250-881-8225
RE/MAX Camosun’s #1 REALTOR REALTOR R®
RE/MAX Camosun
RE/MAX Camosun
www.mcmullenhomes.ca
Spacious One Level Townhouse, 2 Bedrooms -
$349,900
Central Saanich ML#333625
Beautiful End Unit Townhome, 3 beds/3 baths, High End Upgrades - Royal Oak ML#333820
www.mcmullenhomes.ca
$460,000
REVENUE-3 SUITES, Well Maintained, Great Location, Fernwood ML#334105
$719,000
Thinking of selling? Call 250-881-8225