Weekly Free Inquiry Blog Post #1: Royal Roads University

My first visit of local locations for my free inquiry project consists of Royal Roads University, in Colwood, B.C. . My reason for selecting RRU for my first blog post is for several reasons. To begin with, RRU is where I completed my undergrad which is a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies in 2019. My brother also completed the same BA here in 2014. Lastly, I believe it is one of the coolest places and most beautiful places (of many) in Victoria, B.C. . RRU was behind of a lot of my inspiration on doing some history on local locations. When I was teaching an Outdoor Education class at Belmont Secondary School this past fall I was talking to some of the students in my class about the history of RRU.

Here I would like to share a bit more history behind the story of RRU and provide resources behind this history. Royal Roads served as a military college from 1940-1995 before transition to a University. During it’s time as military college it served as a training ground for military officer’s (Royal Roads University, 2019).

Royal Roads has many items that remain on campus that honour it’s roots as a military college such as a ship bell. The ship bell was one of the first items to be placed at “HMCS Royal Roads”. Although a ship bell is traditionally hung on a ship, HMCS Royal Roads was designated as “stone frigate” as many other land based navy locations were. The ship bell can now be found within the Grant building on display at RRU (Royal Roads University, 2026).

Royal Roads Military College had an official Ceremonial Mace that was used to grant degree’s at the college until it’s closure in 1995. At ceremonial traditions at RRMC such as graduations the mace was carried by a mace barrier. The mace can now be found on display at RRU in the Grant building as well along with the ship bell (Royal Roads University, 2026).

Upon walking around RRU I discovered on a plaque by the lower level of the university grounds that the now lower parking lot used to be a ceremonial marching parade square. Attached below is a picture of the marching square:

RRU is situated on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen speaking peoples, Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. RRU acknowledges that the land has been used and belong to local Indigenous People’s long before the military college and university. As a result, RRU has made a strong effort to incorporate and honour Indigenous learning into their education. More information can be found here. (Royal Roads University, 2026).

More information on RRU can be found here.

References:

Royal Roads University (2026). https://www.royalroads.ca/