Lewis Street is a one-block cul-de-sac off Dallas Road near the Breakwater in James Bay, with a small park and walking/cycling path about half-way along.
Dating from Victoria’s early days, this narrow street lacks sidewalks and homes are close to the road, so people walk on the street giving it a friendly old-town feel.
Many residents and visitors alike use the street and path as they travel through the neighbourhood, so a Little Free Library (LFL) seemed like a natural addition to the area.
The residents of Lewis Street enthusiastically supported this development and agreed to ensure it would be a great success.Alan and Catriona Campbell, whose Victorian-era house on Lewis Street across from the park inspired the style and colours of the LFL, were keen to see this realized.
The Greater Victoria Placemaking Society supported their application to Victoria’s Great Neighbourhood Grant program and it was approved.
After the library was constructed, Victoria Parks consulted on how best to position the LFL in the park, and then installed it on a low post set into a cement pad at the Lewis Street end of the path.
On December 7, 2018 the Lewis Street Little Free Library in Lewis Park was installed and filled with books.
To give it a bit of personality, we have decided to call our new little library “Lewis”, and will make sure it is always happily full of good things to read for people of all ages!
By: Alan Campbell
