OAK BAY INSIDER
Plan B brings a bright future
O Christopher Causton was mayor of Oak Bay for 15 Years. He is now the Goodwill Ambassador and a captain with Victoria Harbour Ferries. He is the former owner of Jason’s and Rattenbury’s (Old Spaghetti Factory) and is a classically trained hotelier. A member of Harbourside Rotary for 32 years, he flies flags in his spare time.
ak Bay seldom goes for the first option. The community has a long history of examining projects, hearing from the public, considering and then rejecting. Occasionally approval has come on the first application, such as was the case with the ‘Penny,’ but in other cases a rejection of one application led to something far better for the community. 2272 and 2278 Oak Bay Ave. are good examples. Built in 1941 by C.F Hunter, these two duplexes, 6,300 square feet in total, were built during the war for $4,400. Originally standing proudly at the entrance to the village at Monterey and Oak Bay Avenue, their condition deteriorated over the years to the extent that it was obvious to many that it was time for renewal. In the 1980s and ‘90s, “Careaminiums” we’re all the rage and long-time residents of Hampshire will recall the lengthy debate about one such application that was planned for the Pollard estate on a Hampshire cul-de-sac across from Oak Bay High School. Another, similar but smaller, application was made for the Oak Bay/Monterey corner but this too was rejected with the hope by council that something on a smaller scale, incorporating the two older buildings would come along. Meanwhile, in the village lots was happening. The arrival of Starbucks was the start of the shakeup, but it was the building of the Penny and the arrival of another gallery, The Avenue in 2002, to join Dale and The Gallery in Oak Bay, that created more momentum. Meanwhile Monica Pozzolo and Andrew Moyer were establishing their name, Ottavio’s, as a bakery in the Village. I couldn’t help myself as every Saturday morning bright and early found me outside
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at a sidewalk seat, eating a chocolate croissant with my coffee. It was obvious that these two young entrepreneurs were in for a bright future. Matt at the Penny could see that too. And then it all came together. Gunther Heinrich, of Winchester Gallery fame, decided to buy the two buildings and consolidate his operations, and with one as the gallery, was looking for an appropriate use for the second duplex. What better combination than art and food, and Italian at that! Matt was looking for a location for a liquor store, and with government regulations at the time limiting how far way from a pub a liquor outlet could be, the location next door, although small, was ideal. Many hurdles had to get jumped, including finding enough parking for the development. Thanks to Gunther, lawyer David Adams and the Oak Bay administrator Bill Cochrane, this problem was solved. And so it came to pass that on Aug. 27, 2003, Oak Bay residents saw a very strange sight on the Avenue. Andrew Moyer and a curly haired mayor rolled a 98 kilogram round of organic emmenthal cheese from the old Ottavio’s to the new one. (A police escort was necessary and the rind had an asphalty taste!). The combination of Winchester Galleries and Ottavio’s has been a winner and the use of outdoor art at the gallery has been the inspiration, along with Barb Adams, for the displays of public art in the community. In this case the community has come out a big winner, and it’s a good lesson for all of us. If something is rejected, make sure there is a plan B and C. The community is still waiting on the Oak Bay Lodge.