![[flag of Central Saanich]](../images/c/ca-bccsa.gif)
image by
Arnaud Leroy, 13 August 2006Source: municipality hall
Last modified: 2011-09-10 by rob raeside
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image by
Arnaud Leroy, 13 August 2006
Source: municipality hall
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The District of Central Saanich is located on the Saanich Peninsula, 21 kilometers north of the British Columbia capital city of Victoria on Vancouver Island. The District is bounded on the north by the District of North Saanich, on the South by the District of Saanich, on the east by Haro Strait and on the west by the Saanich Inlet.
BRIEF HISTORY
Central Saanich was incorporated as a Municipality on December 12, 1950. The first Council consisted of Reeve Sydney Pickles, Councillors Harold Andrew, Ray Lamont, Willard Michell and Lorne Thomson. The first Central Saanich Council meeting was held on January 16, 1951 in the Women's Institute Hall (formerly the Temperance hall, and now the Central Saanich Lions Hall) on East Saanich Road. The municipal offices moved from there to the Pioneer Log Cabin located at the old "Fairgrounds" site on East Saanich Road where the Council continued to hold meetings until a Municipal & Fire Hall was built in late 1951. This Hall was also located on East Saanich Road.
The Central Saanich Fire Department was established in 1951. That same year the
Municipal Police Department was also founded and consisted of one Chief Constable
equipped with a pair of handcuffs, a blackjack and a 38 calibre revolver.
District of Central Saanich
The municipal website of Central Saanich shows and describes the municipal coat of arms as follows:
The Crest is a curved goat horn (cornucopia) from the mouth of which fruits and vegetables overflow.
The Coat of Arms is the shield which is divided by two curved flaunches: on each section is a figure of a salmon placed vertically head upwards and back to back over a background of azure and silver horizontal stripes to represent the ocean. The centre panel of the shield is silver with three figures placed in a vertical line from top to bottom: a Thunderbird with wings extended, an English Rose in full bloom and a Daffodil blossom. The various figures in the Coat of Arms were carefully chosen to speak to the history, resources, ambiance and aspirations of Central Saanich and its people.
The Salmon on both sides reference the fact that it is only a short distance in any direction to the ocean and its richness. The Thunderbird stands guard, speaking to us of our First Nations, principally the Tsawout and Tsartlip First Nations communities. The English Rose stands for the recent British heritage of the community and the systems of government based on Central Saanich as primarily an agriculturally-based community. This is reflected not only in the farmers’ fields but also in the many world-renowned private and public gardens.
The Cornucopia tells of the great bounty that comes to use from the hard work and dedication of the friendly people in the agricultural community. Central Saanich is blessed with rich land, bountiful oceans and a gentle climate.
The Motto is “Land of Plenty” which is lettered on a scroll and truly describes the District of Central Saanich.
The flag of Central Saanich is a blue-white-blue Canadian pale with the coat
of arms in the middle. The representation of the coat of arms differs
from that shown on the municipal website: the waves of the ocean are
represented as "azure and silver horizontal stripes", as provided by
the description, and not as plain blue waves, and there is little if
any blue shadowing in the reverse of the scroll.
Ivan Sache, 4 August 2006
