SJ Willis Community School Green Space is in the seaside city of Victoria, one of thirteen communities that form the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. This large sports field on the corner of Hillside and Blanchard Streets forms the largest green space at SJ Willis Continuing Education School. Part of the Victoria School District 61, this school was built by nineteen forty-nine on the property that housed the City of Victoria’s first gaols and barracks. S.J. Willis was the original principal of Victoria High School in the early nineteen hundreds and was a natural choice for a name of a new school. The school building is used by the Victoria Basketball Association for games during their season while the main building hosts continuing education classes as well as a schools library for the school district. The Burnside Education Center, on Jutlands Road, now host the SJ Willis classes. The grass field that lies to the south of the building is a terrific place to toss a ball around or just enjoy the Hillside Quadra neighborhood of Victoria, B.C. This field is marked with white goal posts. A restored Garry oak grove lies along the western side of the building. Mixed along here are some Douglas fir and pine trees. There are several paved pathways throughout the area totally about three hundred and fifty meters of walking trails. This place is frequented by dog walkers. The school grounds host a weather station so conditions can be determined before you go. Pedestrian accesses to the green space are at the corner Hillside and Blanchard as well as from Market Street. Topaz Park is across Topaz Avenue and Quadra Community Green is across Hillside Avenue.
Geographic coordinates N48° 26′ 29″ W123° 21′ 41″
SJ Willis Community School Green Space can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway. Follow the highway as it becomes Douglas Street. Turn east onto Hillside Avenue, continue across Blanchard Street and take the first left onto Quadra Street. Stay on Quadra Street to Topaz Avenue. Turn left onto Topaz Avenue and as you go up the hill look for the school gymnasium to the left. There is a small discrete road called Gille Place to reach the parking area at the front of the school. A city bus travels along Quadra Street from downtown to Broadmead/Royal Oak area. Another bus travels along Hillside Avenue from downtown toward the University of Victoria.
Walks in Your Backyard 
One thought on “SJ Willis Community School Green Space”