The Victoria Amateur Swimming Club has built a legacy that no community club can match. The club recognized its 90th anniversary in 1993 and celebrated decades of providing top-quality instruction and a competitive environment for young swimmers. Founded in 1913, the club began in outdoor facilities on the Gorge. It moved to the new, heated, salt-water pool at the Crystal Garden in 1925 and hosted many high level meets over the following 46 years. Renamed the Victoria Olympians they moved to Victoria Crystal Pool in 1971 and to Commonwealth Place in 1993. The club has seen seven of its athletes qualify for the Olympics and continues to be a force as a member club of Island Swimming.

At one time Foster, affectionately nicknamed "Tulip" or "the Professor" was a prizefighter of some repute and he trained Canada's world heavyweight boxing champion, Tommy Burns. However, his greatest sporting impact was through the guidance of young men in Victoria during the final years of his life. He had virtually given up boxing when he arrived from Tenby, Wales in B.C.'s capital in 1888. Foster - or Robert Hill, as he was born - found his calling coaching local sports. Foster was hired as resident caretaker of Caledonia Park on Niagara St. and he soon assumed a leadership role in sporting circles and was an important mentor to many young athletes. Foster was acknowledged as the "dean of Canadian trainers" through his involvement with championship teams amongst which were the 1894 Victoria Field Lacrosse team, Island and B.C. champion Victoria Wanderers soccer team of 1896 and the Provincial champion Victoria Crimson Tide rugby side of 1899. Bob's headstone at Ross Bay Cemetery says it all: "AN ATHLETE WHO DEVOTED A RESIDENCE OF 20 YEARS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOUNG MEN OF VICTORIA IN THE FORM OF MANLY EXERCISE"