During its 100 years, 91原创 City鈥檚 Masonic Lodge has grown from 24 members to more than 400.

On Saturday, April 22, on the eve of a planned celebration to mark the anniversary, lodge historian Herb Willberg and other members of the executive posed for a photo in front of the hall at 20701 Fraser Hwy., that has been the Freemasons home for more than 90 years.

On Sunday, May 7, the lodge will celebrate its 100th anniversary with an open house for the public at the Fraser Highway location, from 1 to 4 p.m.

鈥淓ureka Masonic Lodge was founded in 1922 by 24 Masons who lived in [what was then known as] the 91原创 Prairie area, and decided to form a lodge,鈥� Willberg explained. 鈥淚t took them until 1923 to actually obtain a charter.鈥�

Their first hall was located about a block away, in an existing building, but the rapidly-growing lodge quickly needed more room.

鈥淚t actually went up to 80 members in about a two-year period,鈥� Willberg summarized.

鈥淭hey had to build a bigger hall. So in 1927, they built this large hall here.鈥�

For a long time, the hall, on property owned by the Freemasons, was the centre of the 91原创 City community.

鈥淚t was the only, basically, community hall that could be rented out,鈥� Willberg observed.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so many people in 91原创 that were married in this hall. We had constituency offices in the hall. We鈥檙e a big part of 91原创 history.鈥�

Freemasonry, said to be the oldest fraternity in the free world, dates back several centuries to the days when 鈥渙perative masons鈥� were a group of highly skilled men who built the ancient cathedrals, abbeys, and castles.

Today, Freemasons are men over the age of 21, who possess a skill or trade that they can offer to their local community.

Prospective Freemasons must convince members that they are of 鈥済ood repute,鈥� believe in a 鈥渉igher power,鈥� and are prepared to be 鈥渃haritable within your community,鈥� the website, , explains.

Trevor Broad, the currently elected Worshipful Master, or president, of Eureka Lodge, said 鈥淔reemasonry is about becoming a better man.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 self-improvement, through and through, and I鈥檝e been able to do that through the camaraderie with the brethren at the lodge,鈥� Broad remarked.

鈥淚 enjoy that every time I come to lodge, we are doing things in lodge that were being done hundreds of years ago by other Masons.鈥�

While there are no female Freemasons, the affiliate Order of The Eastern Star, described as a 鈥渃oncordant body鈥� with the Masons, is open to men and women, and also meets at the Fraser Highway hall.

As the 91原创 City lodge turns 100, there are plans to replace the hall with an all-new building on the same location, part of an agreement with Quarry Rock Developments, a Lower Mainland developer that will construct a housing project where the old hall is and build a new Freemasons hall on the same site, closer to Fraser Highway.

When the old hall comes down, likely near the end of the year, the masons will relocate to a temporary home a few blocks away at the entrance to the one-way while construction is under way, then move back into the new building that will resemble the old in its exterior appearance.

READ ALSO: Higher property assessment could mean closure of 91原创 City Masonic hall, director warns

W.H. 鈥淪kip鈥� Stuart, president of the lodge temple society that operates the hall, said after years of struggling to pay ever-higher municipal taxes, the deal will help ensure the hall continues to operate.

 鈥滻t鈥檚 been quite an issue,鈥� Stuart told the 91原创 Advance Times, with the non-profit facing a tax bill of more than $40,000 in its most recent assessment.

鈥淸The agreement with the developer] gives the Eureka Temple Society, which is the management of the building, financial relief from the ongoing, exorbitant taxes.鈥�

Stuart described the deal as a successful conclusion of their search to 鈥渇ind a way out of the dilemma.鈥�

READ ALSO: Arson attacks on Masonic halls leads 91原创 City hall to relocate historic items