The oldest building on the West Shore B次元官网网址� and one of the oldest on Vancouver Island B次元官网网址� will be getting a second life at a new location.

The Colwood Dairy and Cheese House, the first dairy on the Island, was built in 1852 by the HudsonB次元官网网址檚 Bay Company and has enjoyed a variety of purposes throughout its 164 years. The building, which sits roughly in the 400 block of Goldstream Avenue was originally constructed as part of the Esquimalt farm, which was a key producer of various products for Fort Victoria, including cheese, milk and butter.

The farm house later fell into disrepair and was demolished and the dairy went into a state of neglect until the land was purchased in 1952 by Art Treloar and his wife Elsie. The Treloars repaired the building and turned it into a workshop, which is more or less how it remains.

The building has been under threat at various times in the past.

In 1981, the Capital Regional District wanted to add the building to its heritage registry, but the owner at the time told the Gazette that sheB次元官网网址檇 tear it down if people started to snoop around her property. The CRD dropped its effort amid budget restrictions.

Ironically, the dairyB次元官网网址檚 position away from the road and the publicB次元官网网址檚 curious eye, and its resulting lonely existence, likely saved it from destruction.

B次元官网网址淣obody paid any attention to it,B次元官网网址� said William Silvester, who has written three books on Colwood history and is the current chair of the CityB次元官网网址檚 heritage commission.

In fact, the building had slipped so far out of the publicB次元官网网址檚 mind that the City didnB次元官网网址檛 know it existed as recently as five years ago.

B次元官网网址淲e had no idea it was there,B次元官网网址� then-Mayor Dave Saunders said in 2011.

Recent development plans on the 400-block of Goldstream Ave. might have put the buildingB次元官网网址檚 future into question, but a concerted effort from both the City of Colwood and the developers will see the dairy house move B次元官网网址� rather than be demolished B次元官网网址� to make way for the project.

The move would also bring the small stone shack closer to the road, giving it a boost in visibility compared to its current location tucked in behind a house.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e kind of hoping to make it into an interactive display, maybe have some old milk cans or signage to display what happened here. A tourist destination is what weB次元官网网址檇 like to see there, with maybe a little gift shop or information centre B次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing firm yet,B次元官网网址� Silvester said.

All of this is positive news for Colwood councillors and community members who have worked hard to ensure the building is preserved.

B次元官网网址淚t has quite a huge historical significance for Colwood. This represents the rural farm life from back in the day,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Lilja Chong.

B次元官网网址淚t definitely has significance and is very important to the history of Colwood. (The farm) is basically the birthplace of the non-indigenous people on the West Shore,B次元官网网址� Sylvester said.

The conundrum now lies in how to actually move the 15-by-26-foot building, a challenge that is still under consideration.

A couple of years ago a team of archaeologists discovered some original bricks underneath the much newer concrete floor.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 nothing under that but dirt and it could be a problem moving it,B次元官网网址� Silvester noted, later adding that the building might have to be dismantled and rebuilt at its new location.

The original development plans were restricted to 468 Goldstream Ave., where the dairy building currently sits, but that plan has expanded to include adjacent properties at 474 and 476 Goldstream Ave.

The majority of 476 Goldstream Ave. would be developed as a heritage park, which would also accommodate the dairy building according to the latest development plans.

The expansion of the original plans is contingent on a successful re-zoning application, which will be discussed at a public hearing Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 3300 Wishart Rd.

joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com