Description of Historic Place

911 Collinson Street is a one-and-one-half storey plus basement, wood frame bungalow with Arts and Crafts detailing located on the western edge of Victoria's Fairfield neighourhood.

Heritage Value

911 Collinson Street is valued for its architecture and as an example of the type of housing built for the emerging middle class in Victoria just prior to World War I.

Constructed in 1912 by David Herbert Bale, a prolific Victoria contractor/designer who built many variations of this style in the pre-World War I era, this house is a good example of the bungalow style with Arts and Crafts detailing.

The place also exemplifies the type of housing constructed in Victoria between 1907 and 1913 to accommodate the largest population increase in the city's history. It further represents the subdivision of the larger lots in this part of Fairfield between 1910 and 1912 to meet the demand from people of modest means for affordable houses on small lots. Bale met this demand by offering "houses built on the installment plan - no money required." The original owner of this house, Alfred E. Carter, an electrician with Hinton Electric, was typical of the new class of home owners.

Source: City of Victoria Planning Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of 911 Collinson Street include:
- characteristics of the Arts and Crafts bungalow, including bellcast roof with exposed rafters at the eaves, wood shingle cladding, partially enclosed porch with decorative porch brackets, decorative stained glass and other original exterior features
- siting of the structure on the lot, close to the street with minimal setback
- relationship between this building and its neighbours along the south side of Collinson Street