Victoria Heritage Foundation

The City of Victoria contains a wealth of old houses, ranging in date from the mid 1800s to the mid-1900s. Over 600 of these houses are now on the City's Heritage Register and detailed in the Victoria Heritage Foundation's 4-volume series entitled This Old House.

Some of these houses and many unofficially recognized buildings are noted in VHF's Neighbourhood Heritage Walking Tours. Select one of the five neighbourhoods from the menu to the left and start exploring. The self-guided walking tours are also available in printed form, from various locations in Victoria.

Heritage Has Many Faces

This charming 1930s bungalow at
936 Heywood Avenue represents the expansion of the community’s definition of heritage to include significant examples of our more recent past. Constructed in 1939, this important example of English vernacular Arts & Crafts-style architecture illustrates the concept that heritage is what we value and that it can span all ages and styles, including modern architecture.

The house was designed by one of Victoria’s best British-trained architects, Hubert Savage, for Eric and Mary Garman. The house is still in the same family. In 2006 the current owner asked the City to designate it and Victoria Heritage Foundation (VHF) provided a 25% grant for repainting in its original 1939 colours: white-on white with red concrete front steps and curving pathway.