Sidney, BC — an exceptional side life

By Randall Mang, Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island | Published February 14th, 202

It was the summer of 2015 when my wife Louise and I first cruised into Port Sidney Marina. Little did we know then that within a year we would buy our dream home in this seaside hamlet and never look back. 

We had crossed the Georgia Strait on our boat, leaving our home port on Vancouver’s bustling Lower Mainland to spend time in B.C’s Southern Gulf Islands. Among our planned destinations, we had heard Sidney was terrific; a great marina, lots of shops, restaurants and other attractions. 

Beyond all that good stuff, for us, Sidney’s real appeal was its decidedly calm vibe. We recall seeing plenty of residents perched on benches, reading books, coffee mugs in hand. Then there was the public art, which began on the lawns of the sleek, waterfront Sidney Pier Hotel and extended up Beacon Avenue, Sidney’s main shopping street. A walk into the neighbourhood sealed the deal though. 

Leafy tree-lined streets featured a variety of condominiums, townhomes as well as cozy bungalows and impressive beachfront properties, all exuding Sidney’s quiet pace of life, homeowner’ pride and warmth. 

Walking north along Third Ave we noticed several streets including Rothesay Ave, Shoreacres Rd. and others led to breezeways to the sandy beach below. Our Golden Retriever Oliver, already having found his way into the water, was sold. We weren’t far off. 

We began scheming and dreaming that very day. Our initial plan was to sell one of our rental properties on the Mainland and reinvest in Sidney – place a stake in the ground to support our future retirement plans. 

Our daughter, then a 15-year-old real estate hound, began sending me listings. Among them was a brand-new home situated on one of Sidney’s most prestigious streets. The home was luxurious and offered views of both Robert’s Bay and Tsehum Harbour. Not exactly a rental, but worth a look. 

On a rainy November day in 2016, it only took us one viewing to bring our dream home. The moment we drove off the ferry at Swartz Bay we felt the island’s embrace. With a little haggling backed by a cash offer we made our deal. We were thrilled. 

But we wouldn’t truly discover how fortunate we were to have arrived in Sidney until we began to familiarize ourselves with the area’s more fulsome surroundings. 

We literally walk around the corner to the manicured grounds of Van Isle Marina where our Cutwater C30 keeps cozy in her boat house. 

Travelling the Pat Bay Highway’s 80 km – 90 km speed limit, it’s a breezy 25-minute drive to downtown Victoria. 

Meanwhile, BC Ferries’ Swartz Bay terminal and Victoria International Airport are both a five-minute drive away. There is also ferry service from downtown Sidney to Anacortes, Washington State. How great is that? 

Similarly, we discovered roadside farm markets in nearby Central and North Saanich, and the charming hamlets of Brentwood Bay and Saanichton at our doorstep. 

Could life get any better? I suppose that depends on what you want. For us, and all our neighbours, Sidney has it all.