Historical Notes Pertinent To Victoria Bowmen

1949                            On November 1, the Maquinna Archery Club was formed. David Odlum was the President. Indoor shooting was conducted at the Rainbow Sea Cadet Hall (Work Point Barracks in Esquimalt). In March, the name was changed to Victoria Bowmen and on April 20, the first constitution of the new club was adopted. Outdoor shooting took place in the area between Shelbourne and Richmond Streets, west of Hillside Avenue. A competition was held with the Cowichan Bowmen. Later that summer a tournament for Vancouver Island was held at Cobble Hill.

1950                            The club joined with the 75th Regiment Bowmen for indoor shooting at the Bay Street Armouries. The club President was John Askham.

1951                            An outdoor range was set up in Victoria West Park.

1952                            The club name was changed to Victoria Bowmen of the 75th Regiment. An outdoor range was located off Helmken Road between the Old Island Highway and Burnside Road.

1953                            A new outdoor range was obtained. It was located by the Colquitz River, off Hunter Road in what is now the Cuthbert Holmes Park.

1955                            The 75^th Regiment was absorbed into the No. 5 West Coast Harbour Defence Battery. This changed the club name to Victoria Bowmen of the 5th West Coast Defence Battery, a rather’ unwieldy handle. Subsequently the club name was changed to Victoria Bowmen.

1957 - 1958                 Indoor shooting was held in the Fraser Street Hall. At times during the period between 1953 and 1963, we used a hall above a night club on Broad Street and also a hall above Robinson’s Sporting Goods store. We also had an indoor range in the Williams building.

1963 – 1964                An affiliation with the Dockyard Recreation Association (D.R.A.) allowed for indoor shooting in the D.R.A. hall.

1964                            A fine new outdoor range was located within the D.N.D. property off Wilfert Road. Development of this property was started. With the acquisition of this fine new property, the Victoria Bowmen turned its Colquitz River range over to the Seaview Archers.

1969                            The Victoria Bowmen host their first Canadian Archery Championships using the Wilfret Road property and MacDonald Park in James Bay.

1971                            The Club hosted numerous Pacific Northwest Outdoor, Vancouver Island Indoor and Outdoor and BC Outdoor and Indoor tournaments. The D.R.A. hall was turned into a club and the Victoria Bowmen moved back to the hall above Robinson’s Sporting Goods Store.

1972 – 1974                The Club moved their indoor facility to St. Adian’s Church Hall near the Shelbourne plaza and then to the Henderson Park Pavilion on Cedar Hill Road a part of the Oak Bay Recreation complex.

1975                            The club hosted the World Team Trials (Grenoble) at the University of Victoria.

1976                            The Club hosts the Canadian Archery Championships combined with the 1976 Olympic Trials at the Wilfret Road Range (Field) and St. Michael’s University School (Target). With the assistance of Victoria High School wood shop, the club builds a 'temporary clubhouse', the centre of all club activities since.

1978                            The Club again moved their indoor program to the Marigold Activity Centre and Royal Oak School.

1979                            Work begins on the lower FITA field a swamp in the spring with many large stumps and logging debris. Most of the initial work (stump removal) is done by hand! The final work is done with bull dozers under the guidance of a professional landscaper.

1980                            Due to heavy vandalism and dwindling numbers the Seaview archers folds and is absorbed by the Victoria Bowmen, the Colquitz range is no longer used.

1981                            The Club moved the indoor program to the MacCauley Point Gym in Esquimalt only a stone’s throw from its original indoor facility. Many members of the club had shot here for years as members of the former Cedar Forest Bowmen a club sponsored by the base. When this club folded their members joined Victoria Bowmen.

1982                            The club hosts the Canadian Archery Championships with the Target being held at the Juan de Fuca Recreation complex, the first of many successful partnerships at this facility.

1986 and 1989             The club again hosts the Canadian Outdoor Championships

1991                            The Victoria Bowmen are awarded the XXXIX World Archery Championships for 1997

1996                            The Club hosts the Canadian again as a test tournament for the ’97 Worlds again at JDF and Wilfret Road. The current Thunderbird logo was commissioned from local artist Sue Coleman for this event.

Original artwork

Updated artwork 2000

1997                            More than 400 of the world's top archers came to Victoria to compete in the second largest world championships ever. The championships were held at the University of Victoria's Centennial Stadium. In May the club hosted the inaugural Canada Cup tournament as a test tournament for the Worlds.

2002                            The indoor program moves to John Stubbs School in Belmont Park.

2003                            The Club hosts the Canadian Archery Championships, again at Wilfret Road and JDF.  

2008                            The indoor program moves to Sangster School on Metchosin Rd.