Oak Bay
The District of Oak Bay is tucked away in the south eastern corner of Greater Victoria and is surrounded by beautiful coastline. It’s a charming district with lots of character, heritage homes, and the Uplands, which is one of Victoria’s wealthiest neighbourhoods.
This community is highly sought-after by those looking for a more luxurious lifestyle, and homes in this area are considered relatively more expensive than most elsewhere in Victoria.
Oak Bay has traditionally been seen as an older community for retirees, however many young families also move to the area to enjoy the lifestyle and great schools.
Profile
Population: 18,094
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Average age: 49.2 years
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Average full-time employment income: $90,984
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Population density per square kilometres: 1717.7
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Land area in square kilometres: 10.53
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Total private dwellings: 8,122
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Amenities
Schools in Oak Bay include Willows Elementary, Monterey Middle School, and Oak Bay High School, which was completely rebuilt in recent years. The junior campuses of Greater Victoria’s two main private schools are also located in Oak Bay, which include St. Michaels University School and Glenlyon Norfolk School.
The district also has two main recreation centres; Oak Bay Recreation Centre (Oak Bay Rec) and Henderson Recreation Centre.
Locals love visiting Willows Beach, which has a long stretch of soft sand, a play area for kids, a tea house, and a large grass field that sees the Oak Bay Tea Party event with rides each summer.
Oak Bay Avenue is the main drag lined with local boutiques, coffee shops, eateries, art galleries, and a well-attended neighbourhood pub, the Penny Farthing.
The Oak Bay Beach Hotel, which also has a number of residential suites, has a spa with an outdoor mineral pool and hot tubs where locals often escape for a staycation.
Fun and Family
Victoria Golf Club is located in Oak Bay, which is one of the most scenic golf courses on southern Vancouver Island. This course is a members-only club, but guests can play so long as they are joined or introduced by a member.
Uplands Golf Club is a semi-private club adjacent to the sought-after Uplands neighbourhood. It’s a challenging course that has hosted many championships including the PGA Tour Canada.
There is great indoor recreation at Oak Bay Rec, which includes a swimming pool, a skating and hockey rink, a tennis bubble, a fitness area with cardio equipment, a weight room, and studio rooms for classes. Henderson Recreation Centre has a fitness area with cardio equipment and a weight room, as well as classes. Henderson also has a par three nine-hole golf course, which is great for all levels from beginner golfers to experienced golfers looking to work on their short game.
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club is nestled in the Uplands neighbourhood, and is the oldest yacht club in western Canada. It’s an ideal spot to moor yachts, boats, or sail. Boaters will also love Oak Bay Marina, which is open to the public and has guest moorage available.
The waters off of Willows Beach are calm and perfect for stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, and canoeing.
You don’t have to look far to see runners and cyclists taking advantage of the seemingly endless waterfront route along Beach Drive from Dallas Road in Victoria’s Fairfield neighbourhood, up through King George Terrace, along McNeill Bay, right through the Victoria Golf Club, then past Willows Beach into the Uplands. It’s easy to forget you’re even working out with the distraction of these impeccable views.