Has James Bay Gone To The Dogs?

October 5, 2009 by admin
Filed under Economy, Main Content, Mile Zero Musings, Place

Illustration Credit: Bill Meyer at flickr.com

James Bay, (Victoria’s oldest neighborhood), is home to almost 12,000 residents not to mention a good number of itinerants including bustling breadwinners, picaresque politicians, and tons of teacup-sipping tourists.

Judging from the number of four-legged Fifis and Fidos frolicking about, the handy dandy plastic poop bags available from dispensers on its public pathways, not too mention a few lucky dogs with a passion for barking up the wrong tree, it’s no wonder that some doggone folks have dubbed this nice little neighborhood, “Pooch Paradise”.

Why do they call it “Pooch Paradise”? Well, besides the fact that it’s been known to rain cats and dogs here for six months of the year, there are at least ten other reasons to convince you that James Bay is a pawsitively perfect place for "top dogs" to hang out!

Canine Casanovas and Pooch Paramours gather from from far and wide for merry mutt meet-ups at the capital region’s largest and most popular off-leash dog park and scenic seaside pathway (which extends from the Mile Zero Marker at Douglas Street and Dallas Road eastward to the tip of Clover Point), thanks to “Citizen Canine” and the fur-friendly folks at City Hall.
Fisherman’s Wharf Park is being transformed from a sports field into a nature environment complete with babbling brooks, posh picnic tables and PVC playthings, not to mention oodles of nooks and crannies for man’s best friends to relieve themselves.
Some of the best “shaggy dog stories” can be heard in java joints like James Bay Coffee & Books (143 Menzies Street), Ogden Point Café (at the Breakwater), and Shoal Point Moka House (at Fisherman’s Wharf).
Shops are opening up in the neighborhood catering to canines such as the new Diamond Dogs (a dogday care and grooming place at 106 Ontario Street) and the refurbished Prime Time Video (#3-230 Menzies Street) which will soon be supplying all manner of pet-food to pooch owners.
Everyone knows that the Public Gallery in the Provincial Legislature offers a superb spot to catch a glimpse of British Columbia’s best barking, back-biting and bone-picking exhibition by those who adore "putting on the dog” .
If want to avoid "being done up a like a dog’s dinner" on your next night out, you’re bound to find some downright delightful duds at the Community Closet (#11-435 Simcoe Street in James Bay Square).
The best place to find the “hair of the dog that bit you” is probably at any of one of the neighborhood’s twelve tippling places and four liquor sales outlets (at the Day’s Inn Cold Beer & Wine Store, the James Bay Inn Cold Beer Store, Spinnaker’s Wine & Beer Shop in James Bay Square, or the BC Liquor Store at Unit 101-225 Menzies Street).
Some of the best “dog and pony shows” in town can be found four evenings a week plus Saturdays and Sundays at The Superior Café (106 Superior Street).
If you’re “sick as a dog”, you’ve got places to find a remedy, either the Walk-In Medical Clinic (on the upper level of Parliament Mews at Five Corners), or register as a patient with the James Bay Community Project Clinic (547 Michigan Street).
And, last but not least, should you think that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” or that “there’s no life in the old dog yet”, just drop in to the James Bay New Horizons Activity Centre (234 Menzies Street), where you’ll see some “Hot Dog” folks who can probably run rings around you!