Page 32 - Thirty-Fourth Convocation

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THE CAMPUS: A NATIONAL HERITAGE SITE
Our campus is a microcosm of the province’s rich natural and cultural history, and our
grounds have signs of First Nations use from thousands of years ago. Most of our structures
are designated heritage buildings, constructed by the family of James Dunsmuir or by the
Department of National Defence. Our 565-acres include multiple ecosystems encompassing
century-old gardens, mature forests, dry land meadows and a salt-water estuary that is also
a national bird sanctuary. We are committed to preserving these rich assets and sharing
themwith the public through educational and interpretive programs.
The estate was originally purchased in 1906 by coal and railway baron James Dunsmuir,
premier and lieutenant-governor of British Columbia during the first decade of the 1900s.
Completed in 1909 by noted architect Samuel McClure, Hatley Castle served as home to the
Dunsmuir family until 1940 when the estate was sold to the Canadian government.
The government commissioned the estate as HMCS Royal Roads after the historic Royal
Navy anchorage immediately offshore in the Juan de Fuca Strait. “Roads” is a nautical term
that refers to a sheltered offshore anchorage; the name Royal Roads reflects the fact that
this was initially used by ships of the Royal Navy based at Esquimalt, the major British naval
base in the north Pacific at the time.
During the next 55 years, Hatley Park was a main educational facility for Canada’s
Department of National Defence. From December 1940 to October 1942, it served as an
officer training establishment for probationary sub-lieutenants. In 1942, it became the Royal
Canadian Naval College at Royal Roads for the training of regular force naval cadets, thereby
reviving the spirit of the old Royal Naval College of Canada, which had existed at Esquimalt
between 1918 and 1922.
After the Second World War, the name and educational role of the college underwent
several changes. In 1968, it was renamed Royal Roads Military College, and in 1973 it
became a degree-granting institution with the mandate to educate and train cadets and
commissioned officers for careers in the Canadian Forces.
With the closure of Royal Roads Military College in 1995, the Government of British Columbia
leased the grounds from the federal government, and on June 21 of that year passed the
Royal Roads University Act to create a university dedicated to serving the educational
needs of professionals who had already embarked on successful careers and sought further
education, particularly at the graduate level. The proud tradition of educational excellence
and leadership continues at Royal Roads University – our distinctive 21
st
century university
providing an unparalleled educational environment.
Situated on what has been called one of the most beautiful campuses in the world, the RRU
campus has been the site of more than 30 television shows and feature films. Hatley Park
is one of the most-requested, iconic film locations in Victoria and is used by the Greater
Victoria Film Commission to promote filmwork in the region.