Citizens' efforts reveal historic roots in suburbs west of Victoria

As rapid population growth transforms theWestshore communities of Greater Victoria,an online collaboration by some longtime residents is helpingto preserve memories of vanished landmarks and local hangouts.

Gone are favourite Boomer-erahaunts such as Bob's Burgers, while historic traditions such as the "Battle of Colwood"military exercises are lost to living memory.

LoriKrogelreturnedtoWestshore,where she grew up, after a 32-year absence. Shestarted posting old photos of the area to Facebook as she tried to reorient herself to the dramatic changes that had occurred.

HerFacebook group, calledThe Changing Westshore, Old and New,grew into a communityhub for sharingphotos, documents and memories of the area. It now has more than 2,000members.

"It's been very excitingbecause it's what we remember when we were growing up," Krogel said.

Members of theFacebook group collaborate to come up with missingnames and details for historical images, and reminisceabout favouritehaunts such as Bob's Burgers.

AnotherWestshoreresident with deep roots in the community was inspired by the old family stories to pursue a career in the provincial archives.

Ninegenerationsin Langford

Genevieve Weber told On the Island host Gregor Craigieher family's Langfordconnection goes back nine generations to the mid-1850s. That's when ancestors from twobranches of her family tree arrived in Canada and went to work for the Hudson's Bay Company.

Donald McKenzie operated a mill at Parsons Bridge for the Hudson's Bay Company, while William Wale worked on one of the HBC farms.

As a child, Weber was fascinated byher grandfather's stories and the family's deep connection to the local geography.

"We would walk around Langford together and he would point out locations where people had lived," she said.

"For example, he grew up for some time in his grandmother's house, which is right where Westbrook Mall is now (on Goldstream Avenue)."

While two streets in LangfordWale Road andScafeRoad still bear her ancestors' surnames, the community's physical appearance has changed drastically in herlifetime.

"The streets I grew up on, some of the streets the houses are completely gone and replaced," Weber said. "It's a complete makeover."

With files from CBC Radio One's On the Island and All Points West.