Explore the archives and our community history with an Oak Bay Archives photograph project that aims to stir conversation.
Nelson Currie, 12, was inspired already by the archives posing his mom Hazel in just the right place to document the differences in his part of Oak Bay.
“The perspective of the original photo we were matching was of interest since the landscape and housing changes were quite obvious from the higher angle, despite the consistency of the ocean front and land lines,” the Currie’s wrote in the submission for the Then and Now project through the Oak Bay Archives.
Through the community project, residents can peruse the more than 1,000 photos online at the Oak Bay Archives or old family albums pulled from dusty bookshelves or attics to find inspiration. Then they create a “now” image that correlates with the historical image.
The local archives will display a selection of the images and stories in municipal hall come fall, followed by a showcase at the Oak Bay branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library in December to end Canada’s 150th year. It also provides archives a selection of “now” images to create a snapshot of Oak Bay in 2017.
Submit photos and stories to obarchives@oakbay.ca by July 31. Selected photos and stories will appear in the Oak Bay News and exhibited by Oak Bay Archives.