D'Arcy Island
Encyclopedia
D'Arcy Island is an 83-ha
island in Haro Strait
, south of Sidney Island
and east of the Saanich Peninsula
(Vancouver Island
).
The island was used as a leper colony
for Chinese immigrants
from 1894 to 1924, and ruins of the building built during that time are still visible. It was declared a marine park in 1961, and included as part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
in 2003 .
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
island in Haro Strait
Haro Strait
Haro Strait, often referred to as the Haro Straits because it is really a series of straits, is one of the main channels connecting the Strait of Georgia to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, separating Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, Canada from the San Juan Islands of...
, south of Sidney Island
Sidney Island
Sidney Island is one of the southern Gulf Islands located between the southwest coast of British Columbia, Canada and Vancouver Island, BC. It is located just east of the town of Sidney which is on the east coast of the Saanich Peninsula...
and east of the Saanich Peninsula
Saanich Peninsula
The Saanich Peninsula is located north of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is bounded by the Saanich Inlet on the west, and various straits of the Gulf of Georgia on the east, chiefly Haro Strait The exact southern boundary of what is referred to as the "Saanich Peninsula" is somewhat fluid...
(Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
).
The island was used as a leper colony
Leper colony
A leper colony, leprosarium, or lazar house is a place to quarantine leprous people.-History:Leper colonies or houses became widespread in the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe and India, and often run by monastic orders...
for Chinese immigrants
History of Chinese immigration to Canada
This is the history of Chinese immigration to Canada.The first recorded visit by Chinese people to North America can be dated to 1788, with the employment of 30-50 Chinese shipwrights at Nootka Sound in what is now British Columbia, who built the first European-type vessel in the Pacific Northwest,...
from 1894 to 1924, and ruins of the building built during that time are still visible. It was declared a marine park in 1961, and included as part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is the 40th National Park in a system of 43 parks and park reserves across Canada. Located in British Columbia's Gulf Islands, it covers 33 square kilometers over 16 islands. It also includes numerous islets and reef areas....
in 2003 .