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Mystery heirs still sought for 91原创 land standing in pipeline鈥檚 path

After two years, Trans Mountain is still looking for James Kavanagh鈥檚 family
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Pipes for the Trans Mountain pipeline project are seen at a storage facility near Hope, B.C., Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Trans Mountain Expansion Project is still trying to find the heirs of a millionaire who died decades ago, but who owned a sliver of land that the pipeline has to cross in 91原创.

As part of a proposal giving the detailed oil pipeline route through 91原创, Trans Mountain is trying again to find James Kavanagh, a financier who has been dead for 99 years.

鈥淭rans Mountain is seeking to locate the landowner, or heirs of the landowner, described above in order to provide them with information and this notice concerning the detailed route of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project,鈥 the public notice reads.

鈥淚f you have a legal right to the lands described above and you wish to oppose the proposed detailed route of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, including the method and timing of construction of the pipeline, you may file a written statement with the Canadian Energy Regulator within 30 days of the publication of this notice,鈥 Trans Mountain wrote.

Maps of the site and notices were published in both English and French.

Kavanagh died in 1922. When he was alive, he owned property in 91原创 Township, near what is now 201st Street in Walnut Grove.

The millionaire hotelier, who made his fortune in Manitoba, bought the land in 1911, the year the Canadian National Railway line that still runs through North 91原创 was built.

The railway absorbed most of Kavanagh鈥檚 land, but it left slivers on either side, and Trans Mountain鈥檚 pipeline, which parallels the railway there, needs access to land on one side.

Trans Mountain launched an international search in 2019 for Kavanagh鈥檚 heirs, searching archives from 91原创 to California to Connecticut.

READ MORE: Land owned by man dead since 1922 needed for pipeline

READ MORE: 91原创鈥檚 tiniest lots include land just for garbage and a pioneer cemetery

Kavanagh had relocated with his family to California shortly after the 91原创 land transaction, and his daughters continued to live in the U.S., and it is believed their descendants did as well.

Asked about the appeal to Kavanagh鈥檚 heirs, Trans Mountain said it is re-issuing its route notices due to a minor change to the route around the Kavanagh lands near 201st Street.

鈥淚f the revised route is approved by the Canada Energy Regulator (CER), then Trans Mountain would seek to acquire Mr. Kavanagh鈥檚 lands from his estate for construction of the Expansion Project,鈥 a statement from the company said. 鈥淚f Trans Mountain is unable to acquire Mr. Kavanagh鈥檚 lands voluntarily from Mr. Kavanagh鈥檚 estate, then it would follow the CER鈥檚 right of entry process.鈥

Compensation for the right of way will be paid to his estate, Trans Mountain said.

The remaining lots left over after the railway went through are tiny 鈥 one has been assessed at $200 value and covers 500 square feet, the other is assessed at $9,000 and covers 16,500 square feet.

According to correspondence between Trans Mountain and the National Energy Board, the land was surveyed in 1908. But sometime after the rail line went through in 1911 there was an error of some kind in the land title records, and 91原创 Township essentially forgot the property existed.

The error was not noticed until 2016. The Township then put the land back on its property tax rolls in 2017.


Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com
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Matthew Claxton

About the Author: Matthew Claxton

Raised in 91原创, as a journalist today I focus on local politics, crime and homelessness.
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