Regarding the foiled visionary architect Thomas Mawson: I wonder if he took his wounded pride to Victoria? And left descendants?

Since moving here, I’ve noticed a ‘big picture’ developer called Merv Mawson. He was central to the 1970s conversion of onetime Broadmead Farms into a compelling executive subdivision in the Royal Oak area of Saanich. He also oversaw other developments on the Saanich Peninsula.

Speaking of which, privately owned James Island is located in the Haro Strait not far from Sidney. It’s about 100 times the size of Deadman’s Island. Once an industrial site for manufacturing and testing explosives for ultimately C-I-L, it was bought by cellular telephone magnate Craig McCaw. It’s got a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, a lodge that Seattle-based McCaw and his family can visit plus about nine groundskeepers and maintenance folk who live there full time.

James Island was named after James Douglas. About two kilometres from shore, it is outside the Douglas Treaty Lands and thus not part of any land disputes (at least for now) with the Tsawout First Nation.

McCaw paid $19 million for James Island in the mid-1990s. It’s assessed at four times that amount now. Any residential development would require vast remediation of toxins and possible live munitions barely covered by topsoil.

I agree with Doug Parks how great it is that people stood up to keep developers out of Stanley Park and it’s too bad that the West End was not spared that. After moving to Nelson, BC in the early 50’s from the West End was so disappointed to discover the house we once lived in on 1836 Comox Street was no longer there but a high rise in its place. Sad but true. All in the name of progress I assume.