The Royal Oak School House
In 1989, The Royal Oak Lions Club became the custodians of the heritage Royal Oak School House with a renewable lease from the Municipality of Saanich. The building was badly run down and in dire need of repair.
The Royal Oak School House was build in 1885 "by community effort, the women helping the men." It was the second School House built as the first was destroyed by fire after a supper dance in 1883. In 1922, it was raised and a concrete foundation was put under the School House. The School remained in active use as a school until 1951.
Between 1989 and 1990, The Royal Oak Lions Club restored the building including building a meeting area in the basement for the Club. The cost of this restoration was over $30,000 and more than 2,500 man hours to restore the building.
Between 1990 and 2001, The Royal Oak Lions Club made the building available to the community and maintained the hall and grounds to be used by the following:
- a Saanich Day Care Centre
- a meeting place for the Scouts and Guides
- a place for Craft Fairs and Community Art Groups
- a Halloween bonfire for the children of the community
- Lions projects
In 2001, The Royal Oak Lions Club were notified by the Municipality that the building and Land had been slated "surplus land" and that the property would be put up for sale. The Royal Oak Lions Club placed a proposal with the Municipality for consideration that they would at their own expense, maintain the building and turn the land into a public park and continue the use of the land and property for community use.
In 2008, The Royal Oak Lions Club vacated the property. The Royal Oak Lions Club were proud to be able to serve the community of Royal Oak in providing many community events for the community and allowing the property to be used for many community events. For almost 20 years, The Royal Oak Lions Club were proud to be an integral part of this historical site.
The Lodge at Broadmead--Christmas Lights
Since the lost of the Royal Oak School House as a meeting location, The Royal Oak Lions Club have been meeting at "The Lodge at Broadmead"--a residential care facility. We meet in the Lodge's Board Room.
The Royal Oak Lions Club have a special relationship with The Lodge as we look after doing the decorating of the garden areas with Christmas Lights and every year through our fundraising we add more lights to the project. The residents really enjoy seeing the lights at Christmas and look forward to seeing us put up the lights in December and taking them down in January.
Christmas Tree Chipping
for the BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities
About a week after New Years, The Royal Oak Lions Clubs assist the fund raising of the BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities in the collection of Christmas Trees to be chipped. The Royal Oak Community brings us the trees and we unload and stack the trees to be chipped several times during the day. We ask for a donation for this service and all the funds help to assist Children with Disabilities to go to camp, support Easter Seal House where families stay while members are in the hospital in Victoria.
As a group, the Royal Oak Lions have a great time on this project but the weather can be nasty but what warmth we get from collecting funds to assist Disable Childen.
The Oak Bay Tea Party
The Oak Bay Tea Party at Willows Beach has just completed its 50th year of operation in 2012. The Royal Oak Lions Club for many years have been selling "corn on the cob" at the Tea Party.
We bring the "corn on the cob" in from California as it is too early in the year for corn on Vancouver Island. And do we get strong support from the community eating our hot butter corn--it has become a tradition of the Oak Bay Tea Party.
The Oak Bay Tea Party is the first weekend of June and put that date on your calendar to come and enjoy our "hot, buttered corn of the cob." A treat that you do not want to miss!
