Then and Now

Then...

Image A-02710 courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC Archives

"All roads lead to Rome - They also lead to the Hotel Dallas" as stated in a brochure from 1891. "Rates from $2.00 to $5.00 per day.

William Jensen, who had experience with a number of hotels in Victoria built the Hotel Dallas on a half acre of land at the foot of Ontario Street. Construction was of brick. The hotel provided first class accommodations with sixty-five bedrooms and twelve sitting rooms. It boasted "all the modern appliances, including hot and cold water baths, steam heat, electric lights, electric call-bells, bar and billiard rooms..."

The location was ideal for patrons arriving and departing on the open-ocean vessels serving the Orient, Alaska, San Francisco. They also advertised that the hotel was only 8 minutes to down-town Victoria, by the newly installed electric tram.

The Hotel Douglas served Victoria until 1915 and was razed in 1928.

...Now

Construction of the Coast Guard Marine base at the foot of Ontario street began in 1976 and was completed in 1980. It is the home of the Coast Guard Regional Operations Centre responsible for the scheduling and deployment of the Pacific Region Fleet of 7 ships, 7 cutters, 6 helicopters, 1 airplane, and 10 station boats at various locations situated on Canada's west coast.