The Township of 91原创鈥檚 roots go back more than 13,000 years, when the Cordilleran ice sheet began its retreat, causing the land to rebound, the coastline to rise and the Fraser River to form.
By the time the glaciation was complete 3,000 years later, the familiar stands of Douglas fir, western hemlock and cedars had emerged, along with the riparian areas, wetlands and grasslands.
The history of the Fraser Glaciation era, and other events, places and people that have shaped the 91原创 we know today, have been documented in .
The 152 page document 鈥� created over the past year by a task force, the Township鈥檚 Heritage Advisory Committee and Don Luxton &Associates 鈥� will be used to help assess and understand 91原创鈥檚 historic sites based on their significance within the greater community context.
鈥淚t provides for the identification of themes that contribute to community identity, which can inform neighbourhood planning processes, educational activities, urban design projects, cultural tourism and other locally based economic initiatives,鈥� said Elaine Horricks, Township heritage planner, who presented the document to council on July 24 with Donald Luxton.
The historic context divides 91原创鈥檚 history into 10 eras: The Great River, Fertile Valley; First Nations; Contact; The Hudson鈥檚 Bay Company; Outpost of Empire; Growth and Consolidation; The Great Western Boom; Conflict and Turmoil; Postwar 91原创; and 91原创 Today.
The thematic framework then explores the themes of each era by breaking them down into five key categories: habitation; economies; government; society; and the arts.
Luxton said a memorable moment of the project was finding a picture in the Vancouver Vocational Institute from 1961 of Kwantlen First Nation member Helen Gabriel working as a hairdresser. Having a member of the Kwantlen First Nation on their team, they were able to connect with Gabriel and have the photo explained to them firsthand.
鈥淭hat was just so satisfying, I think one of the highlights of the project,鈥� Luxton said.
Mayor Jack Froese called the booklet a 鈥渧ery comprehensive document,鈥� and said he enjoyed learning more about 91原创鈥檚 history.
鈥淲hat I got out of it was that it really provides a path moving forward, because history doesn鈥檛 just stop, it continues to be made,鈥� he said.
Coun. Petrina Arnason asked if the document could be put into libraries and schools.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so many people, not only myself, who have lived in 91原创 for some time, but also people who are newcomers. I think it would be an interesting thing for them to be able to review,鈥� she said.
Horricks replied that staff are already working on making the document available in local schools this fall.
Coun. Bob Long called it a 鈥渇abulous project鈥� and suggested they make some hardbound copies.
鈥淚t can be a great tool for all kinds of things. How do you know where you鈥檙e going if you don鈥檛 know where you鈥檝e been?鈥� he remarked.
Coun. David Davis shared similar comments.
鈥淚 read this all weekend and never even opened this stupid package,鈥� he joked, while holding up his council package.
鈥淎s a gift, for somebody who is interested in history and whatnot, it鈥檚 beautiful, I love it, it is great.鈥�
Coun. Angie Quaale said she sees it as 鈥渁 valuable tool鈥� and asked what will happen next with the information that has been provided.
Luxton replied that they will soon start a gap analysis of the current heritage registrar.
鈥淚 hope it inspires people to dig more deeply into the history of 91原创,鈥� Luxton commented.
Coun. Charlie Fox suggested that a workshop for 91原创 history teachers be held during a professional development day to get them more involved in the document.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 an element that can be built into the curriculum about your local community and I think that there鈥檚 a value associated, especially with the new curriculum emphasis on First Nations history, First Nations involvement in community, and so on and so forth,鈥� he said.
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