Freshwater Playground to Regional Park

by Carole Pearson

“Elk lake is approached over a lawn-like slope covered with scattered oak, forming one of the most beautiful parks imaginable,” wrote a columnist identified only as “The Traveler” in the 1858 Victoria Gazette.

In 1850, the Hudson’s Bay Company appointed Joseph Despard Pemberton to survey Vancouver Island. Work was begun in November that year to survey the area north of Mount Douglas. Beaver and Elk Lakes first appear on an HBC map in 1855, according to Sea-Lake author Anne Pearson.

From 1875 to 1920, Victoria’s water supply came from Beaver Lake. Construction of a dam began in 1873, and, to improve the water quality, filter beds were added in 1896. As the population of Victoria increased, the Beaver Lake supply became inadequate. The Sooke Reservoir was built and came into use in 1920 and the lake returned to recreational use, the old concrete reservoir becoming a favourite swimming spot.

Olive McHattie, a Central Saanich resident who grew up close to the lake, remembers the roller rink at the west side of Elk Lake. She estimates it was about 60 by 100 feet with strings of lights to permit evening skating. Young people from the Peninsula showed up later in the day, after farm chores were completed. People who came out from Victoria tended to be better skaters since they had paved roads to practice upon at home, says McHattie.

At the southeast side of Elk Lake, the Black Swan store and concession stand sold candy, ice cream, drinks and groceries. It was located at Eagle Beach but the spot was more commonly known as Black Swan Beach. The store was a convenient stop for beach-goers and summer cottage folks.

George Maynard’s Elk Lake Automobile Camp consisted of 12 summer cottages, conveniently located across the road from the lake, and Algernon Henry Pease’s famous Hamsterly Lakeside.

The Hamsterley Lakeside, located at “Mile 9 on the Sidney Highway,” opened in 1925 and featured a dance pavilion that could accommodate 150 couples. During the summer, cars would be lined up “for miles” along East Saanich road every Wednesday and Saturday night. Dances began at 9:15 with music provided by a five-piece orchestra: the Hamsterly Lakeside Serenaders. Also part of Hamsterly Lakeside was the Toby Jug tea room. The Toby Jug was famous for its “English Countryside Teas” that consisted of scones served with fresh strawberries (grown on the Pease property) and Devonshire cream.

Corny Times

by Jennifer Bowles

August is upon us and our bountiful crops of juicy local corn are at their peak of sweetness and ready for your table! With each and every bite, soft kernels burst and pop into your mouth delivering that quintessential taste of pure summer. Like a typewriter, you move from one side of the cob to the other and then back, savouring the rich, creamy, buttery taste that drips into your palm and down your wrist. You nearly forget about that steak on your plate and instead continue to relish the experience until your cob resembles an empty honey comb. Nothing says perfection better than that!

If you’re not already familiar with a publication called Island Farm Fresh, I would get familiar with it. It’s available at most local farmers markets. Island Farm Fresh is a publication that promotes and supports our incredible, hard working island farmers. This little magazine is a wealth of information about what’s in season, where to go, our local farmers, tips and guides, maps to the farms and so much more!

Visit www.islandfarmfresh.com and you will find a product list and list of farms that sell that product (i.e. farms that sell blueberries). Go to
islandfarmfresh.com/product_front.htm and then click on your product of choice – that will take you to a list of farms that sell that product.

Island Farm Fresh also has a list of seasonal products available so you can plan ahead. Now, there is no excuse not to buy local and eat local: it’s so simple, and the product blows the imported goods out of the water!

Here are a few Tips and Tricks about our friend corn that everyone should follow to ensure they get the maximum flavour and most succulent, delectable cob yet! Now, lend me your ear; (I know, corny ... forgive me, I couldn’t resist).

1) DO NOT peel your corn until you are ready to eat it. This actually greatly reduces the sweetness of the kernel. You always see people in the grocery store whipping the husks off the cobs to check and see if the corn is ripe. You don’t have to do that. Simply puncture one of the kernels with your finger and look for a milky white sap that will ooze out … if it does that, you’re good to go. Imagine the husk to be like a long coat. Now imagine the corn to be your 15-year-old daughter on a date. The coat stays on … AT ALL TIMES.

Coffee Reflects Your Personality!

Coffee

by Steve Sheppard

This month I delve into how the coffee you drink reflects your personality. This is far from palm-reading stuff: there’s a lot to be said based on what kind of coffee you drink. From astute observations and conversations over the decade I was a barista I developed the same insight as that of a bartender, who at the end of the day may be able to help you figure out life for less money than a counsellor.

Coffee drinks and personality … here we go:

White Mocha Drinkers – do a lot of Facebooking, are trying to look sophisticated and continually buy everything with too much sugar in it … my guess is they decorate their surroundings with frills.

Latte Drinkers – like to savour their coffee, taking time to ponder life’s complexities, and are often inspired by a past trip to Europe or Central America.

Cappuccino Drinkers – These folks can be complicated. Straight-down-the-middle “Cap” drinkers are fairly predictable and are texture people: the kind of person that will avoid a certain food because of how it feels in their mouth (no matter how good it tastes). Complication creeps into the cappuccino world when people get “specific” about how much foam they want – in millimetres! – and these ones typically dress the same as the people they’re with. Then there’s the cappuccino drinker who wants half the caffeine because they are convinced they have a “sensitivity” to it (amongst other things). These ones likely spend a lot of time in the refund line up at department stores and don’t cut the grass at home.

Carmel Macchiato Drinkers – This one is tough … these folks can be moody: sweet one moment and on the warpath the next. When I am with a caramel macchiato drinker I’m always ready to duck quickly.

Americano Drinkers – these people are value seekers. They aren’t looking for caffeine so much as taste. They can be very specific … anal retentive in fact. The ones who want a specific number of seconds on their shot likely have sex with their socks on … I’ve yet to verify this fact, but if I was a gamblin’ man!