Comox

[Jes Andersen]

Years ago, I tried to get access to the then fenced off Signal Hill area. Never had any luck an always wondered what else was in there. A lot has changed in almost 50 years. At one time there was a battery located at the entrance to Victoria Harbour on the end of one of the piers. It was a rather tall concrete structure with the gun emplacement on top. Along with a lot of this type of stuff around here, it was demolished many years ago. The searchlight battery is located across the harbour and is still there. The Capital Region is building their new sewage treatment plant adjacent to that area so I am not sure about access. Near where I used to have a home, on Gonzales Hill, there is the remains of an observation structure with sweeping views of the Juan de Fuca Strait. Its part of a park now and there is a pleasant walking path up to the view point. On a clear day, you can see forever....
Enjoy your exploring and post up some pictures of those places us regular folks aren't able to get to without going over the wire... Part of the Mary Hill property used to have a mortar range and was always an interesting place to sneak around. It was cleared when they cut off a chunk of the land to create the Pearson College of the Pacific or whatever its called now. There were APC tracks around the area and I think its still used for some training exercises now. Below the Mary Hill Battery is the William Head prison. It once was a quarantine station for arrivals on ships from the Orient. Many stories to be told from those days.
Enjoy Spring in Victoria. We are hoping it will warm up a bit more up my way.