Streets in the new Royal Bay neighbourhood will have a decidedly avian ring to them.
Colwood council approved a bird-themed naming motif for all new roadways within the Royal Bay development, welcoming Osprey Street, Caspian Drive, Kestrel Street and Sparrowhawk Avenue to Colwood. All birds are native to Esquimalt Lagoon.
“The developers are definitely staying consistent with the messaging … (And) respecting the history and geographical features of the city of Colwood and we very much appreciate that,” said Coun. Rob Martin.
The new names were vetted by emergency services representatives from fire and police departments to ensure they weren’t similar to other street names in Greater Victoria, which could lead to confusion. Sparrowhawk Avenue will run parallel to Ryder Hesjedal Way; the other three will run perpendicular between them.
“To be honest, this was driven by the developers; they have the rights to naming,” Martin said. “What we do is go through the process … these names, we thought were very fitting. (They’re) definitely staying focused within our community which is wonderful.”
The roads have been handed over to the City and Colwood’s public works department is ordering new signs, which are expected to go up in the next few months. That may coincide with the installation of four new signs welcoming visitors and residents into the Royal Bay community.
“This is exactly the type of signs we are aspiring to throughout Colwood (because) it’s sometimes hard to identify when you are in Langford or in Colwood,” Martin said.
“But the idea is we identify communities with the same conceptual signs throughout, so you have the idea you are in Colwood because the signs look the same.”
The new Royal Bay signs will be 12 feet high and 7.5 feet wide. Two will be erected on Metchosin Road, and two more on Latoria Road greeting drivers as they enter and leave the development.
“We are trying to build more way finding, Martin said. “It’s perfect, because it is exactly what the city would do and instead of the city having paid for it, the developers paid for it.”
alim@goldstreamgazette.com