Mount Douglas, Saanich

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Mount Douglas
View of Mount Douglas from the south.jpg
Mt. Douglas from the south
Highest point
Elevation225 m (738 ft)
Prominence225 m (738 ft)
Coordinates48°29′35.05″N 123°20′48.44″W / 48.4930694°N 123.3467889°W / 48.4930694; -123.3467889Coordinates: 48°29′35.05″N 123°20′48.44″W / 48.4930694°N 123.3467889°W / 48.4930694; -123.3467889[1]
Geography
DistrictVictoria Land District
Topo mapNTS 92B6[2]

Mount Douglas (SENĆOŦEN: pq̕áls or PKOLS, usually referred to as Mount Doug by locals) is a prominent, 225 m (738 ft)[3] hill in Saanich, Greater Victoria, British Columbia. It is located in Mount Douglas Park in the municipality of Saanich on the ancestral lands of the Saanich and Songhees people.

Little Mount Douglas or Little Mount Doug is a smaller secondary peak about 150 m (492 ft) west of the main peak.[3]

Name[]

The aboriginal Saanich and Songhees people called the mountain PKOLS [pq̕áls], meaning "White Head" in SENĆOŦEN dialect. This mountain was a culturally significant gathering and meeting place of the SENĆOŦEN and Lekwungen peoples, a site for ceremonies and sharing important news. [4]

In the mid-nineteenth century, it was called Cedar Hill, and was home to logging operations. Local mills supplied the growing city of Victoria, including the original Hudson's Bay Company fort, transporting lumber south along present day Cedar Hill Road. It was brought under protected status in 1889. Finding no cedars on the hill called "Cedar Hill," Captain Henry Kellett renamed it "Mount Douglas," as recorded in the Fort Victoria Journal by Roderick Finlayson.[5] Although this informal renaming occurred in Douglas' lifetime (it was given the appellation "Mount" in order to honour the governor's status), the name "Mt. Douglas" was not officially adopted until 1910.

In 2013, an effort was started to reestablish its aboriginal name.[6][7][8] The Reclaim PKOLS movement has appealed to the BC Geographical Names Office for a formal name change. There has yet to be an approval of this petition.

PKOLS sign erected near the summit of Mount Douglas-PKOLS
View from Christmas hill looking towards Mount Douglas.

The Neighbourhood[]

The namesake neighbourhood around the base of Mt. Douglas is a mix of residential neighbourhoods, hobby farms and working farms, roughly bounded by Cedar Hill Road, Cordova Bay Road, the Blenkinsop Valley and Parkside Crescent. The farms of the Blenkinsop Valley (such as Madrona Farm) are protected by the provincial Agricultural Land Reserve.

Mount Douglas Mine[]

Inside of Mount Douglas Abandoned Mine.

Mount Douglas has many trails. One trail in particular, on its south side (near the north-most point of Glendenning Trail), has an old abandoned mine. The mine has a small entrance, but it opens up inside. The mine is about 50 to 60 feet (15.24 to 18.29 m) in length.

Mount Douglas Park[]

Mount Douglas–PKOLS is located in Mount Douglas Park in Saanich, BC. The park covers 188 ha. Mount Douglas Park was established first as a government preserve in 1858 and then set aside as a park in perpetuity in 1889. The city of Victoria managed the park until 1990 when it was transferred to the District of Saanich.

More images[]

Looking southeast from Mt. Douglas over the southern tip of the Saanich Peninsula into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

View from top of Mount Douglas in Victoria, British Columbia looking north.

View from top of Mount Douglas in Victoria, British Columbia looking south.

References[]

  1. ^ "Mount Douglas, Greater Victoria". latitude.to. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  2. ^ "Mount Douglas". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  3. ^ a b "Mount Douglas Park". saanich.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  4. ^ "A History of PKOLS (Mount Douglas)". Archived from the original on 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
  5. ^ "Victoria Post Journal August 1846". Fort Victoria Journal. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  6. ^ "Reclaim PKOLS". Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  7. ^ Hill, Edward (2013-05-18). "First Nations act to reclaim name of Mount Doug". Victoria News. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  8. ^ "Mount Douglas Name Change Supported By Noam Chomsky". huffingtonpost.ca. The Canadian Press. May 22, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-05-23.

External links[]

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