VIEW ROYAL
VIEW ROYAL
As part of Greater Victoria, View Royal, with its 11,000 residents, includes over 1,700 acres (700 hectares) of parkland. Starting from the one o’clock position, moving clockwise, View Royal is surrounded by the districts of Saanich (West) Esquimalt, Colwood, Langford and the Highlands. For as long as anything has been documented, View Royal has been the home of the Coast Salish people. By the 1850s, European settlement moved in and started buying up the land. The Island Investment company, marketing some of the 80 acres it purchased as having royal views, is how the name of the town came to be. The town’s incorporation, however, didn’t officially take place until 1988.
View Royal Sub-Area Attraction Pages:
View Royal Municipal Hall
View Royal is a thriving community located between Victoria’s city central and the developing West Shore municipalities. With over 10,800 residents and ongoing growth, the town prides itself on offering the highest standard of service to its residents. The View Royal Municipal Hall, located just off the Island Highway behind Four Miles Pub on 45 View Royal Avenue, is the city hall for the municipality of View Royal.
What View Royal Municipal Hall Offers
The Municipal Hall operates through several departments, including Corporate Administration, Development Services, Engineering, Finance, and Protective Services, to provide the following services to support the municipality and its residents:
- Bylaw Enforcement
- Garbage, Recycling & Compost Collection
- Building and Development Services
- Sewer & Drainage Services and Maintenance
- Streets, Sidewalks & Boulevards Maintenance Services
To encourage financial growth and attain a stable, sustainable tax base, the Town of View Royal pays particular attention to further the development of current commercial buildings and new ones, provide better exposure for businesses to non-residents, decrease vehicle usage, and improve suitability for local residents.
The Town of View Royal also provides various services, such as accepting donations to purchase amenity items such as benches, picnic tables, bicycle racks, and trees for the municipality. Moreover, Bylaw Enforcement Officers investigate concerns or complaints about alleged violations of View Royal’s bylaws.
Utility Providers in View Royal
The following is a list of some of the utility providers that service View Royal:
- Water 250-474-9600
- Electricity (BC Hydro 1-800-224-9376 for customer service, 1-888-POWERON to report an electrical outage)
- Natural Gas (Fortis BC) 1-888-224-2710 for customer service, 1-800-663-9911 for gas-related emergencies
- Telephone (Shaw 250-475-5655, Telus 250-310-2255)
- Cable (Shaw 250-475-5655)
How to Get to View Royal Municipal Hall
If you want to drive to the Town Hall, the most convenient parking is available just near the main entrance to the Town Hall. If you use the bus, the bus stop is just the City Hall. Please check the BC Transit schedule here.
Other Services Offered by View Royal Municipal Hall
- Dog Licenses: Contact the CRD Bylaw & Animal Care Services office at 250-478-0624 to obtain a dog license.
- Garbage & Food Waste Collection: Waste Management Company collects garbage and food waste once per week. If your garbage or food waste has not been collected on time, contact them directly at 250-652-6242.
- Lawn & Garden Waste Drop-off: The Town offers no-charge lawn and garden waste drop-off at two locations: Trio Landscape Supplies, 109 Hallowell Road, and Ellice Recycle Ltd., 524 David Street.
- Property Tax Information: For property tax information, call 250-708-2270.
View Royal Casino
The View Royal Casino is a well-known and popular destination for risk-takers who are looking for excitement and fortune in Victoria. Located just 20 minutes’ drive away from downtown Victoria on 1708 Island Highway, the casino is a safe and enjoyable place to win or lose money.
Attractions around View Royal Casino
Visitors to the casino can find other places of interest within a 5-minute drive, including:
- Thetis Lake Park – a beautiful regional park where visitors can walk, bike, or swim in the stunning forests and lake.
- Six Mile Pub – a historic pub where visitors can enjoy a beer and burger and explore the old architecture of the building.
- West Shore Parks & Recs – offering wonderful facilities for a variety of recreational activities such as strolling in the park, working out in the gym, swimming in the pool, playing soccer, volleyball, tennis, or golfing.
What View Royal Casino Offers
The View Royal Casino always features the latest novelties of gaming and entertainment. At the moment, the casino offers:
- 555 slot machines for a chance to win jackpots up to $200K, and luxurious cars with “Race to Win” slots. Some of the slot machines are multi-denominational, hence visitors can start from one-cent per pull at the Annex slot room!
- Various table games to try your luck and spin one of the roulette wheels or go for classic card games, including Blackjack, Poker, and more.
- Live entertainment with a new band or performer every time.
- A free Encore Rewards Card for avid gamblers who can obtain it by simply applying with their ID card at the View Royal Casino’s Guest Services Centre. This card allows visitors to be entered to win hot draws and special content entries, get birthday coupons, slot vouchers, discounts to Bistro & Bar, and much more.
- Fully-licensed View Royal Casino’s Restaurant & Bar to have an affordable meal and enjoy local beverages including BC wines, beer, and cool drinks.
- A venue for special occasions such as corporate parties and special events.
Brief History of View Royal Casino
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation opened View Royal Casino in 2001. After 2008, gambling became very popular with tourism growing in Victoria, bringing more clients to the casino. Thus, in 2009 View Royal Casino experienced a big expansion by adding a 500 slots parkade and additional gaming space. At the moment, the casino is 35,000 square foot and able to use its facility not only for gambling but also for entertainment concerts and hosting various events.
Traveling to View Royal Casino
View Royal Casino provides a free shuttle for its visitors coming from Downtown Victoria, partner hotels, and other locations on schedule! Visitors can enjoy themselves without worrying about transportation to or from the casino. If visitors prefer to drive to the View Royal Casino, there is plenty of parking around as well as a massive parkade.
Victoria General Hospital
he well-equipped Victoria General Hospital (VGH) is an acute care facility which offers emergency, general surgery and medical treatment services to all 765,000 residents of Vancouver Island and in some cases patients throughout BC. This substantial facility is located in View Royal of Greater Victoria Area, just 20 minutes’ drive western of Downtown off the highway via Helmcken exit on 1 Hospital Way.
Attractions near Victoria General Hospital
While waiting for your loved ones, there are some interesting places to visit within a 5-minute drive from VGH, such as:
- Thetis Lake Park – a regional park where you can take a walk, go for a bike ride in the stunning forests or dip into the lake during hot weather;
- Six Mile Pub – a historical pub building that serves delicious beer and burgers;
- Highland Pacific Golf Course – a championship 18-hole golf course with a challenging layout that is open all year round.
Specializations of Victoria General Hospital
VGH is one of two comprehensive care hospitals on southern Vancouver Island, along with the Royal Jubilee Hospital. It offers:
- Maternity services – VGH is the only hospital equipped to provide maternity and labor services on southern Vancouver Island.
- Emergency department – newly built in 2008 with hi-tech isolation rooms and a decontamination area specifically designed for managing pandemics and severe outbreaks, the Emergency department aids patients who have major accidents anywhere in the BC region who are transferred by helicopter or ambulance for vital care.
- Pediatric Unit – where newborns, infants and children 18 and younger receive the specialized care they need from a team of pediatric experts. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Trauma Centre are dedicated to providing optimum care for critically ill and injured children, where the emergency room is specially built and equipped with the latest in pediatric technology.
Main services offered by Victoria General Hospital include
- Acquired Brain Injury Clinic
- Beach Reports
- Breast Health Surgical Oncology Services
- Breast Imaging Services
- Cardiac Medical Tests
- Child and Family Ambulatory Unit, and others.
VGH facility well-appointed with:
- 368 Acute Care beds
- 30 Neuro-Rehabilitation beds
- 40 Geriatric Ward beds
VGH is also a teaching hospital for UBC’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery and students in their third and fourth year of medical school at University of Victoria.
Victoria General Hospital Auxiliary
Auxiliary Gift shop is a charity created by diverse group of people “who care” on volunteer basis and dedicated to raising funds and investing them to purchase equipment for the Victoria General Hospital.
Visiting information
Victoria General Hospital operates 24/7. The main hospital entrance is locked from 9:00 pm to 5:30 am, but you can gain access by pressing the intercom button to the right of the doors, and someone will attend to you. In case of emergencies, you can enter through the Emergency Department.
VGH also organizes tours around the hospital; you can book a tour by calling 250.286.7009 ahead of time. If you have any questions, please visit Patient and Visitor Info.
How to get to Victoria General Hospital
If you drive to VGH, there are plenty of paid parking spaces in front of the main entrance and emergency parking near the Emergency Department. Pay-By-Space Parking Machines charge $2.75 for the first two hours and $1.50 for each additional hour. Weekly Permits cost $26.75, and you can purchase them at the parking machines.
If you use the bus, you can take #14, #22, or #39. Please check the BC Transit schedule for more information.
The Thetis Lake Park
Thetis Lake Park is a well-maintained 831 hectares of wild forestry, beautiful lakes, and numerous trails situated just outside of Victoria. This Capital Regional Park is a magnificent oasis hidden from view and hard to believe that it is within the city limits of Victoria. Here are some attractions and activities around Thetis Lake Park that you don’t want to miss:
Attractions around Thetis Lake Park
Within just a 5-minute drive from the park, visitors can find other places of interest such as:
- Six Mile Pub – to fill up your empty stomach and explore the old historical architecture of the pub building.
- View Royal Casino – for those who are risk-takers and enjoy gambling.
- Highland Pacific Golf Course – represents an opportunity to chill and golf on a championship 18 holes course with a challenging layout all year round.
Thetis Lake Park Attractions
Thetis Lake Park presents an opportunity to enjoy panoramic views of the lakes and surrounding hills, follow the more challenging trails up Seymour or Scafe hills, and witness the beauty of wildflowers and protected floras that cover the slopes of the park in spring. This amazing park contains several lakes, including Lower Thetis Lake, Upper Thetis Lake, Prior Lake, and McKenzie Lake. Here are some activities that you can enjoy in Thetis Lake Park:
- Hiking trails
- Cycling trails
- Equestrian trails
- Paved and loose roads
You can even ride a horse there, run or just cycle to keep in shape or lose some weight on more challenging trails to Scafe Hill and Stewart Mountain. Moreover, some isolated corners can be found in the deep nature for spiritual development and inspiration.
Additional information about Thetis Lake Park
The Thetis Lake’s sandy beach makes a rest in front of the water unforgettable and brings lots of joy for families. It is perfect to relax and get some tan, play on the beach with the whole family, or just go for a refreshing swim. The park also offers various outdoor activities in a calming natural setting, such as:
- Beautiful views for photographing
- Amazing lakes for fishing
- Paddling, kayaking, or canoeing on the lake
- Tables for picnic
- Walking with dogs allowed off-leash Fall to Spring
- Camping on the side campground during the summer season welcomes its visitors with RVs.
Washrooms and change rooms are available near the beach, as well as specially designated parking slots for people with disabilities. Please note that there is no lifeguard, thus be a cautious swimmer and ensure you have some snacks as no food trucks are available.
Brief History of Thetis Lake Park
Thetis Lake Park area was established as Canada’s first nature sanctuary in 1958, which had been assigned to Esquimalt as part of the Royal Navy’s Pacific Squadron. However, officially, Thetis Lake Park was established in 1993. The name of the park Thetis is Greek, mostly means a sea nymph, or known as the goddess of water, one of the fifty Nereids, daughters of the ancient sea god Nereus.
Traveling to Thetis Lake Park
If you drive to Thetis Lake Park, they’ve got plenty of parking just in front of the main entrance and parking is free from October through April. If you use the bus, take #50 to the Six Mile Road stop and walk approximately 1 kilometer to the park.
Visit Thetis Lake Park and explore the hidden gem of Victoria today!
Highland Pacific Golf Course
Highland Pacific is a stunning championship 18-hole course that offers a challenging layout all year round. Located off Watkiss Way on 450 Creed Road in the beautiful View Royal municipality, it is just a short drive away from Downtown Victoria.
The golf course stretches across smooth hills surrounded by forests, rocks, greenery, and natural water features. From the course, panoramic views of the city of Victoria, Olympic Mountains, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Bear Mountain can be seen.
Attractions Around the Highland Pacific Golf Course
Within a 5-minute drive from the golf course, visitors can find other places of interest such as:
- Thetis Lake Park – a regional park where visitors can take a walk, go for a bike ride in the stunning forests of the park, or dip into the lake during hot weather.
- Six Mile Pub – to feel up your empty stomach and explore the old historical architecture of the pub building.
- View Royal Casino – for those who are risk-takers and enjoy gambling.
- Victoria General Hospital – in case of any emergency.
Highland Pacific Golf Course Includes:
- The Gold Course – 6,603 yards total length with six different sets of tee markers for all skill levels.
- Driving range – number one practice facility on Vancouver Island includes a two-tiered 44 stall tee line, 22 heated and covered stalls, lights for evening practice, and natural grass.
- Golf Shop – where avid golfers can find everything they might need for golf or just little souvenirs.
- Range Café – offers a variety of homemade food; facility consists of a cozy indoor café with a fireplace and modern outdoor patio.
- Catering & Events – includes a banquet facility for up to 72 people with event planning and consultation, professional service, and customizable menu to suit everyone’s needs and budget.
- Storage & Laundry facilities – In the storage area, golfers can lock up their priceless belongings to keep them safe while they are on the course play or till next time they come into play. The laundry facility provides golfers the opportunity to wash and dry their golf attire for four dollars (loonies only) while having a drink at the café after intense golfing.
Additional Information about the Highland Pacific Golf
Highland Pacific Team is highly interested and do their best to accommodate all ages and groups of people:
- Private Lessons
- Semi-Private Lessons
- Group lessons for women, seniors over 50 and “couples therapy”.
- All packages include Video Analysis, Privilege Card with $60 value.
By becoming a member of Highlands Pacific Golf Club, you get the privilege of complimentary classes, discounts on green fees and power carts, and even more for Premium members, including discount at the Café and Shop, advance booking privileges, and ball buckets.
Highland Pacific Team did not forget about young golfers between the ages of 12-18 and offer junior passes with unlimited usage for a little annual fee.
That’s not all! What about Corporate Passes? They cover this as well, for businesses to have fun taking their meeting to the golf course and play golf on 9 and 18 holes rounds.
Traveling to Highland Pacific Golf Course
If you drive to Highland Pacific, they’ve got plenty of parking just in front of the main entrance.
If you use the bus, below is the bus you should take to get there from:
- Downtown – #50 or #14
- Langford – #50 or #53
- Colwood – #59 or #52 to Langford
- Sooke – #61
- Oak Bay – #2 to Downtown
- Saanich – #50
- Sidney/Swarts Bay/Airport – #72 to Downtown
- Esquimalt – #26 to Saanich
Note: from the closest bus stop to the Highland Pacific Golf Course, it’s about a 30-minute walk.
Visit Highland Pacific Golf Course for a challenging and rewarding golfing experience that you won’t forget!