Ten Mile Point, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Ten Mile Point is a neighbourhood in the District of Saanich
in Victoria, British Columbia
, and is the most easterly point on Vancouver Island
. Ten Mile Point was so named because it was ten nautical miles (19 km) from what was at the time the headquarters of the Pacific Station
of the Royal Navy
(now CFB Esquimalt
). Ten Mile Point is a wooded
peninsula
that forms one side of Cadboro Bay, the home of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club and the mythical Cadborosaurus sea monster
. Cadboro Point is located on the east part of this peninsula. Prevost Hill was named after James Charles Prevost
, British commissioner in the negotiations to settle the San Juan boundary dispute. Prevost Hill is the highest elevation on Ten Mile Point and is known informally in the neighbourhood as "Minnie Mountain". Prevost Hill is the location for a subdivision within Ten Mile Point called "Wedgewood Point" or "Wedgewood Estates". A small wooded island, "Flower Island", almost touches the southern shore of Ten Mile Point. Ten Mile Point has many secluded beach
es and cove
s.
One such cove, called "Smuggler's Cove", was used during the prohibition
years as a boat landing and launch for rum
-runners traveling back and forth to the United States
.
Another cove is called "Telegraph Cove" and was the location of a dynamite factory which operated in the late 19th century.
In the early part of the 20th century, Ten Mile Point became a summer retreat with many cabins
on its shores. It gradually developed into the present upscale residential neighbourhood.
Ten Mile Point maintains a rural, bucolic feel as a result of 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) lot municipal zoning implemented specifically for this area by the District of Saanich. The area has only two street lamps
.
Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash
of the Phoenix Suns
and singer/songwriter Nelly Furtado
both own homes in Ten Mile Point. The neighbourhood was also home to movie director George Pan Cosmatos
.
Saanich
The Saanich or W̱SÁNEĆ are indigenous nations from the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, the Gulf and San Juan Islands, southern Vancouver Island and the southern edge of the Lower Mainland in British Columbia.*BOḰEĆEN – Pauquachin...
in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, and is the most easterly point on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
. Ten Mile Point was so named because it was ten nautical miles (19 km) from what was at the time the headquarters of the Pacific Station
Pacific Station
The Pacific Station, often referred to as the Pacific Squadron, was one of the geographical divisions into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(now CFB Esquimalt
CFB Esquimalt
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....
). Ten Mile Point is a wooded
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
that forms one side of Cadboro Bay, the home of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club and the mythical Cadborosaurus sea monster
Sea monster
Sea monsters are sea-dwelling mythical or legendary creatures, often believed to be of immense size.Marine monsters can take many forms, including sea dragons, sea serpents, or multi-armed beasts. They can be slimy or scaly and are often pictured threatening ships or spouting jets of water...
. Cadboro Point is located on the east part of this peninsula. Prevost Hill was named after James Charles Prevost
James Charles Prevost
James Charles Prevost was an admiral in the British Royal Navy.He was born in Bedhampton, Hampshire, England and joined the navy in 1823 and by 1850 was a Commander aboard the HMS Portland, flagship of Rear Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, whose daughter he married on 18 October 1842, they had five...
, British commissioner in the negotiations to settle the San Juan boundary dispute. Prevost Hill is the highest elevation on Ten Mile Point and is known informally in the neighbourhood as "Minnie Mountain". Prevost Hill is the location for a subdivision within Ten Mile Point called "Wedgewood Point" or "Wedgewood Estates". A small wooded island, "Flower Island", almost touches the southern shore of Ten Mile Point. Ten Mile Point has many secluded beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es and cove
Cove
A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often inside a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are often considered coves...
s.
One such cove, called "Smuggler's Cove", was used during the prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
years as a boat landing and launch for rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
-runners traveling back and forth to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Another cove is called "Telegraph Cove" and was the location of a dynamite factory which operated in the late 19th century.
In the early part of the 20th century, Ten Mile Point became a summer retreat with many cabins
Cottage
__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
on its shores. It gradually developed into the present upscale residential neighbourhood.
Ten Mile Point maintains a rural, bucolic feel as a result of 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) lot municipal zoning implemented specifically for this area by the District of Saanich. The area has only two street lamps
Street light
A street light, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or walkway, which is turned on or lit at a certain time every night. Modern lamps may also have light-sensitive photocells to turn them on at dusk, off at dawn, or activate...
.
Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
of the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
and singer/songwriter Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy...
both own homes in Ten Mile Point. The neighbourhood was also home to movie director George Pan Cosmatos
George Pan Cosmatos
George Pan Cosmatos was a Greek/Italian film director. After studying film in London, he became assistant director to Otto Preminger on Exodus , Leon Uris's epic about the birth of Israel. Thereafter he worked on Zorba the Greek , in which Cosmatos had a small part as Boy with Acne...
.