Abbotsford, BC (Rough Copy) Research/Websites

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- general info: http://www.hellobc.com/abbotsford.aspx - picture of abbotsford: http://www.alertmoving.com/residential-services/abbotsford-moving-services/

Known as a "City in the Country", Abbotsford is blessed with British Columbia's richest agricultural lands, family-friendly hospitality and sophisticated urban amenities.It's also a year-round destination packed with outdoor activities like hiking,mountain biking, fishing, and golf.Location and AccessNestled on the flatlands between the Coast and Cascade mountain ranges, Abbotsford (pop. 135,000) lies in the heart of the Fraser Valley, 68km/42m east ofVancouver and just 5km/3mi from the US border. While Hwy 1 connects the community east and west, its airport has put Abbotsford on the international map. For many tour operators and regional airlines, Abbotsford is an alternate arrival/departure point to Vancouver's International Airport.

History:Info: (http://www.msamuseum.ca/abbotsford-history/general-history/) pictures: http://www.scotiana.com/discover-sir-walter-scotts-memorabilia-collection-inside-abbotsford/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0UA7gKjYR4http://www.yarrowbc.ca/other/sumaslake.htmlhttp://www.vancouversun.com/life/Sumas+First+Nation+seeks+compensation+lost+lake/8307346/story.html

The history of Abbotsford really starts some 15 000 years ago, when the Cordilleran Ice Sheet began to recede and split up into smaller pieces, but it was not until some 11 300 years ago that the land was re-shaped into its present contour and the Sumas Glacier began to feed into the mighty Fraser River. Since then, this River has been the core of life in the Fraser Valley, as the landscape, flora and fauna shaped itself to fit all around it.When the first humans migrated across the continent, they established themselves along this blue ribbon which had an abundant supply of salmon, seabirds, edible plants and other necessities of life. The newcomers who arrived here some 9000 years ago were hunter-gatherers, but over time, they became more and more sedentary – they did not have to wander across the land to access food and shelter, but could stay right here in the Valley. It was the River that made the land fertile, and these first settlers preferred to stay close to it. Slowly, the population grew to the tens of thousands, and by the third millennium BCE, the culture of The People of the River, the Sto:lo, had become highly evolved.Just like other people across the globe, the West Coast cultures were part of trade networks and were able to enjoy imports that had travelled a long way and been passed through many hands to get to them. When the first Europeans arrived, they established their own trade networks, and First Nations products reached countries well away from this continent. The Hudson’s Bay Company established the original Fort Langley in 1827 to serve as part of a network of fur trade forts, and the Sto:lo population benefited from trading with these first Europeans. Unfortunately, ideas of new inventions, societal customs and trade goods are not the only things to travel along trade routes, and over a six-week period in 1782, two-thirds of the Sto:lo were wiped out in a smallpox epidemic. It is believed that the virus had come to them via Mexico, and for the Sto:lo, first contact with Europeans did not actually happen until later that same year. As newcomers took up the

land, the Sto:lo were separated from their ancestral land by way of legislation and moved onto reserves. New laws regulating the use of private property meant not only a power shift, but a change in the landscape, over which the Sto:lo now had no control, and when news of the discovery of gold in the Fraser River reached the newly established gold rush town of San Francisco, life changed even more. This news had come in the spring of 1858, just as gold was running out in California, and suddenly thousands of fortune seekers headed towards Sto:lo lands. British Columbia became a province in the Dominion of Canada in 1871, and by the 1890’s, the non-native population exceeded the population of First Nations people for the first time in history.In order to establish Canada’s border with the United States and assert its claim to British Columbia, Britain had sent the Royal Engineers to survey the area in 1858. The Engineers were invited to take up 160 preemptions of land and settle in the area following their service with the Crown. John Cunningham Maclure was one of the surveyors who took the Crown up on the offer and settled here. He is quoted as saying, “This is the promised land. When we disband, this is where I will settle” when he first laid eyes on Matsqui Prairie. In 1889 the former Royal Engineer applied for, and received, his crown grant on 160 acres (65 ha) of bush land. Flooding was an issue in the area even then, and after only 68 days of ownership, Maclure transferred the title to his son, John Charles, who in turn sold the title to Robert Ward just 67 days later. The C.P.R. was granted right of way through the 160 acres on condition that they would put a station there. This ensured that a town centre would grow in the area. When Mr. Maclure was asked what to name the place, he suggested it be named after his good friend Mr. Abbot. Harry Abbott was the Western Superintendent of the C.P.R. and the two men had worked together and had become friends in this land which must have seemed very wild and very far away from everything that was “home”. On July 9th, 1891 Mr. Ward filed the town site subdivision plan, and the Village of Abbotsford was born. Maclure was followed by other settlers, who had made their homes on the ridges around Sumas Prairie in the 1860’s. The completion of the CPR to Vancouver in 1887 brought an influx of new settlers to the area, and the District of Sumas was incorporated on January 5th, 1892, while Matsqui was incorporated on November 21st,, 1892. Once the C.P.R. line was laid through Abbotsford other railways soon followed suit; the Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern in 1909, the B.C. Electric Railway in 1910, the Great Northern in 1913 and the C.N.R. in 1915. It was these railways and easy access to the Fraser River that made commercial development possible, which in turn drew more newcomers to the area. The settlers equalled taxable income that could be used for improvements to infrastructure, such as new roads and dykes to stem the annual flooding. In the meantime, dense forests that could be logged and milled right here in the Valley drove the economy. Unskilled labourers from India, China and Japan were provided with an income while the newcomers worked as loggers and workers at the many small mills, and the cleared land that resulted from the logging proved to be fertile and attractive to farmers forced to leave Europe as the result of over-population, famine and changes in the political and religious structures in their homelands. Of the many mills, The Abbotsford Lumber Company was the largest. In its heyday it was not only the largest employer in the community but soon became the third largest forestry employer in the province. When the Sikh workers at the mill initiated construction of a gurdwara, a temple, the Tretheweys donated the lumber for it. The Tretheweys employed Japanese, Chinese, and East Indian workers at wages only slightly lower than those of the ethnic white workers, which encouraged these minority groups to settle in the community.Early settlers had to contend with some trying conditions. The once logged out land was still covered with large stumps that had to be cleared before the land could be used for farming, the mighty Fraser River and Sumas lake both flooded annually, and following the floods, swarms of mosquitoes hatched in the shallow, standing water. It got so bad that schools were closed for up to six weeks, young children had to be kept inside, and young livestock was sometimes lost to blood loss. This meant that any outside activity, including labour, was virtually impossible. Despite the flooding, drought and irrigation problems were always issues the rest of the year, but despite of these challenging conditions, almost all of the land around the lake was settled by 1871. After some extreme high water had flooded out most of Chilliwack and all of Sumas Prairie, the Sumas Dyking Act was passed in 1878. The Act, however, did not change conditions by much. In 1890 the Chilliwack River changed its course, and instead of emptying into the Fraser, it now began to empty into

Sumas Lake. That, of course, was a wonderful thing for the Sardis farmers, who no longer had to contend with the river flooding, but for those who lived along the new channel, the Vedder River, and for the farmers around Sumas lake, for whom this meant an increase in the average water level, this was disastrous. Attempts at reclamation followed, and in 1919 the Sinclair Plan was chosen from among a number of other proposals, in the hopes of better protecting the prairie. The pumps, the most powerful in Canada in their day, were started up on July 3rd, 1923, but it took almost a year, until June 24th, 1924, to fully drain the lake. The fertile lake bed immediately drew settlers to the area and new enterprises such as hop and tobacco farms were established, while and the dairy industry expanded. Mennonites fleeing religious persecution found the area well suited to their agricultural practises. With the exception of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s farms in Langley, the first systematic farming on the Lower Mainland took place on Sumas Prairie. Dairy cattle had actually been brought to Chilliwack from Oregon back in the 1860’s, and the first manufactured product had been butter. During the Caribou Gold Rush butter was shipped to the Caribous via Yale. The first creamery built to make butter and cheese for distribution in the other direction, into the coastal market, was established at Sardis in 1887, and by 1910 almost 500,000 pounds of butter was being shipped to the coastal markets annually. With the establishment of the B. C. Electric Railway the lower mainland was opened up to Fraser Valley fresh milk sales and the Fraser Valley Milk Producers Association was formed in 1913. When the Abbotsford Lumber Company closed the mill in the 1930’s, the land that had been logged was parcelled and sold off as farmland to new settlers. More farms sprang up on these parcels of land, and over time, agriculture began to replace the lumber industry.Another development in farming took place after visiting horticulturist Fenwick Fatkin noticed how well daffodils grew in Bradner, and decided to “make this a second Holland.” He settled in Bradner with his wife Charlotte and their two infant in 1914 and began to grow daffodils on a half acre off the Leclair Trail. Mr. Fatkin encouraged other farmers to join him, and by the mid 1920’s, there were several farms in production. And in April 1928 he they all exhibited their product at the first Bradner Flower Show. Bradner quickly became the “Daffodil Capital of Canada” and still to this day ships millions of field grown blooms every year.John Maclure’s son, John Charles Maclure, had discovered a special fireclay on Sumas Mountain and established the Vancouver Fireclay Company in 1905. Before then, fire clay and fire bricks came had to be imported from Wales and Scotland, and of course the find of good quality fireclay ignited great excitement by investors as well as a prospective workforce. Since there wasn’t a road across Sumas Prairie, it was decided that the clay would have to be transported to a brickyard west of Sumas Mountain for easy access to the CPR. In order to accommodate its employees, the company built brick houses for the labourers, offices, a school and a church there, thus creating B.C.’s first company town, eventually named Clayburn. Charles’ architect brother, Sam, designed some of the homes built there, while Charles himself focused on the development of the company and designed the railway system that ran on trestles from the mine to the brickyard. “Charlie” Maclure opened up a new brick plant on the south side of Sumas Mountain in 1909. It was named Kilgard for the tall chimneys, visible from quite a distance, which stood guard over the kilns. Employment advertisements abroad drew Scottish and Italian miners to settle near the area.After the attack on Pearl Harbour, in an attempt to strengthen the Allied military defence position along the entire west coast, the Canadian military built the largest military airport on a 900 acre wooded site at Abbotsford. The airport opened on July 14, 1943. The site contained forty-four large buildings including hangars, and had provision for a garrison of thousands of men. A year later the runways were extended and strengthened to accommodate the giant Liberator bombers, and additional barracks were constructed to accomodate the increase in personnel training to operate these eleven-man crew planes. During the flood of 1948, the airport got to serve as an evacuation centre for both people and livestock, and following the uprising against the communist rule in Hungary in 1956, it also served as a refugee centre. Today, the Abbotsford International Airport is the home to several commercial airlines as well as the Abbotsford International Airshow, Cascade Aerospace and Tradex.

The Village of Abbotsford and the District of Sumas amalgamated in 1971 to become the District of Abbotsford, and in 1995 the District of Abbotsford, in turn, amalgamated with the District of Matsqui and became the City of Abbotsford.Today, Abbotsford is home to its own university, The University of the Fraser Valley, with over 15,000 students enrolled annually. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia with a population of over 133,000 people, including the third highest proportion of visible minorities among Census Metropolitan Areas in Canada. We have become The City in the Country, a place with its very own delicious flavour.

Info: (http://www.hellobc.com/abbotsford/culture-history.aspx)

European SettlersAs the gold rush subsided in the latter half of the 1800s, many miners returned to the fertile Fraser Valley, either as farmers or as workers with the railway.Migrants from the south were just as numerous and since parts of the American-Canadian border were still under dispute, the British had their Royal Engineers survey the area and secure British sovereignty. They built the Old Yale Road – the first road link through the valley and many engineers stayed, taking up an offer of pre-empted land at reduced prices.Namesakes of these early families are found throughout Abbotsford and include Maclure, Ward and Abbot whose 160 acres would become the heart of the Abbotsford community.Vancouver's Bread BasketWithin a few years, in 1891, the Canadian Pacific Railway established a station at Abbotsford on its line between Mission and Sumas in Washington State. By then, the area was already producing crops of tobacco, farm produce and dairy products in such quantities that the BC Electric Railway arrived in 1910, expressly to transport goods from the valley to New Westminster and on to Vancouver. The region has been the bread basket to the city ever since.Lumber IndustryThe Abbotsford Lumber Company, owned by the Trethewey family, was the other major draw to the region. Operating in and around Mill Lake, the company used the lake to sort logs as they arrived by rail from the surrounding area, before sending them off to fast-growing American markets. Facilities around Mill Lake included housing, lumber and shingle mills, drying kilns, shipping yards, a Japanese bath house and a general store.__________________________________________________________________________________________

Climate: Climate Graph Data: http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/c/CN71108011000300.php

growing season info: http://www.almanac.com/content/frost-chart-canadahttp://www.abbynews.com/news/267047101.htmlhttp://www.abbotsfordwx.com/climate.php_________________________________________________________________

Natural Landscapes:

Info: http://www.hellobc.com/abbotsford/geography.aspxPicture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_RiverSumas MountainSumas Mountain is Abbotsford's signature mountain, rising from the floodplain to a height of 910m/2,986ft. When Abbotsford was first homesteaded, it was a source of brick-clay for the mining community of Clayburn and saw its share of logging operations.Today, although housing development is creeping up the southwest flank, the remainder is largely untouched save for an access road to a BC Hydro tower and a network of wilderness trails and wildlife. Sumas is a First Nations (Halqemeylem Coast Salish) word meaning "big level opening,"' which refers to the Sumas Prairie south of the mountain.McKee MountainMcKee Mountain is a good, easy-to-see geological example of the region's landmass. As one of the most southerly foothills of the Coast Mountains, the sandstone and conglomerates here have been deposited by various glacial advances. They are so compressed that their consistency is that of concrete. Trails explore the thickets and clamber over these ancient rock faces, many of which are slippery smooth with algae.Other natural landscapes that attract visitors and locals include nearby Cultus Lake Provincial Park and stunning Bridal Veil Falls, one of Canada's highest waterfalls.

Info: https://www.abbotsford.ca/Assets/Abbotsford/Engineering+Department/Transportation+-+Moving+Forward/Background.pdf?method=1The City of Abbotsford is generally bounded by the Fraser River to the north, the Canada / US border to the south, the Township of Langley to the west, and the District of Chilliwack and Electoral Area H to the east.The City’s basic structure consists of a linear east / west urban area comprising several distinct centres, including: the central core: the airport hub; and the cross border area, all of which are surrounded by agricultural land and forested countryside. This urban form is the result of many factors, including: the dominant east / west transportation spine (Highway 1) that bisects the City; the constraints imposed by the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) that encompasses over 74% of the City’s land area; the amalgamation of the Districts of Abbotsford and Matsqui; as well as environmental constraints including steep terrain (Sumas Mountain), watercourses and wetlands.

Economic Activities/Industries:Info: http://www.abbotsford.ca/Asset9755.aspx?method=1

Agriculture, agri-business and food processing; Regional retail and services; Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, and its spin-offs in the health sector; University of the Fraser Valley, and related research, education and training opportunities; Abbotsford International Airport and related aerospace, aviation related, distribution, trade and

convention and tourism/accommodation opportunities Regional administrative and financial headquarters; and Manufacturing, including export-oriented precision manufacturing

Info: http://www.mineralsed.ca/i/pdf/SumasFieldGuide_Final_Draft_24-10-13SRS.pdf

Pictures: http://www.miningandexploration.ca/general/article/msabc_members_keep_mining_at_the_forefront_of_innovation/http://velocitycycles.ca/archives/815

Regional Geological History

Bedrock and surficial deposits of the Sumas Mountain – Abbotsford area record a 250 million year history that will be explored in this field trip. Bedrock and Geological Structures The oldest rocks in the Sumas Mountain –Abbotsford area can be observed at the Jamieson Quarry (Figure 3, A); and in outcrop on Vedder Mountain to the southeast of the study area (map units 11 and 14, Figure 3 and Figure 4). These are Triassic (250-200 Ma [millions of years]) to Jurassic (200-145 Ma) metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks, interpreted as a portion of Wrangellia terrane. Wrangellia had accreted to paleo-continental North America by the Cretaceous Period (145-66 Ma). A consequence of this major tectonic event was an increase in intrusive igneous activity and surface volcanism, together with metamorphism, folding and faulting of basement rocks (Figure 4). Granitic rocks observed at Stop 1A (Cox Station; Figure 3) were intruded into the metasedimentary and volcanic basement in Jurassic to Cretaceous times, 175-95 Ma, as part of the Coast Plutonic Complex (Figure 4). Fraser Valley Geotour 5 Figure 4 Generalized geological history of the Sumas Mountain – Abbotsford area, showing key events and geological time units; inset shows modern plate tectonic setting and significant historic earthquakes. Along the southwestern flank of the Coast Mountains, Eocene-Oligocene sedimentary rocks overlie a deeply eroded Coast Plutonic Complex. Well-exposed at Stop 2 (Kilgard Quarry) the sequence of interbedded conglomerate, sandstone, fossiliferous siltstone, clay-rich shale and coal records deposition between 56 and 23 Ma. Sedimentary structures, pebble composition, fossils, coal beds and clay-rich units interpreted as paleosols are consistent with a landscape comprising mixed coniferous and deciduous woodlands, wetlands, lakes and braided floodplains flanking deeply incised uplands and mountains.Through Oligocene (33-23 Ma) and Miocene times (23-5 Ma) rivers delivered sediment eroded from upliftedterrain surrounding Sumas Mountain to a marine basin that evolved into the modern Salish Sea (Strait ofGeorgia). Granodiorite intrusions in the Harrison Lake area (north of the study area) and activation of theSumas and Vedder faults occurred between 28 and 18 Ma (Figures 3 and 4). Regionally, renewed uplift,igneous activity and erosion continued through to the Pleistocene (2.6 Ma to 11,000 years before presentThe Cordilleran Ice Sheet reached an elevation of 2,000 m in the southern Coast Mountains and northernCascade Mountains around 18-16 Ka. The weight of this much ice depressed the crust under the Vancouverarea (Figure 6B) by up to 300 m. Major south-flowing outlet glaciers of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet occupied themountains, uplands and lowlands at this time. Bedrock weathered and eroded from the British Columbiainterior was transported on top of the ice (erratics) to be deposited in the lower mainland as ice retreated.The orientation of glacial striations, crag-and-tail features and drumlins indicate that valley outlet glacierscoalesced in the Sumas Mountain – Abbotsford area, then drained into glacial Strait of Georgia (glacial SalishSea) to merge with glaciers from Vancouver Island. At its maximum extent, the ice sheet extended more than300 km south of the US-Canada border. Southern British Columbia, including the Sumas Mountain – bbotsford area, was glaciated multiple times during the Pleistocene Period, although only the deposits of the last Ice Age are observed on the field trip. The unconsolidated sediments that drape Sumas Mountain and infill the Sumas and Matsqui prairies (Figure 3, map units 6, 8 and 9) were deposited during the last major Ice Age: the Late Pleistocene Fraser Glaciation (ca. 30-11 Ka); and preceding nonglacial period (Olympia Nonglacial Interval,65-30 Ka)Deglaciation of coastal British Columbia spanned an interval of 5000 years from 16-11 Ka. As ice sheets around the globe began to melt, rising sea levels contributed to an initial rapid marine inundation of Fraser and Sumas valleys (Figure 6C). At this time, outlet glaciers and ice-contact outwash in the major valleys were flooded. As a result, terminal ice margins became periodically uncoupled from underlying glacial deposits and bedrock, leading to episodes of rapid ice flow (or surging) and deposition of large volumes of sediment

and freshwater into glacial Salish Sea (Figure 6D). The Sumas Drift is interpreted as a late glacial advance into lowlands ca. 12 Ka (Figure 5). Iceberg calving and rapid drainage of ice and meltwater during such events contributed to the rapid drawdown of the Cordilleran I ce Sheet in the British Columbia interior and retreat of remnant valley glaciers in the Sumas Mountain – Abbotsford area. The final retreat of glacier ice and marine recession from the Sumas Prairie is recorded in the gravel and sand deposits at Stop 3 south of Abbotsford (map unit 8, Figure 3). As the Cordilleran Ice Sheet retreated from coastal areas, the crust rebounded and relative sea level began to fall, significantly changing the regional paleogeography. After 11 Ka, end moraines, ice-contact glacial outwash and marine sediments were raised above sea level. Deglaciated valleys and exposed glacial marine slopes were draped with unconsolidated, saturated and unstable clay, silt, sand, and cobble-rich sediments (Figure 7). By 10 Ka, glaciershad retreated to cirque basins and local ice caps in the Coast and Cascade mountains. Holocene Geological Hazards and Anthropocene Risks The major recognizable landscape elements were established during Holocene times: with Sumas Mountain forming an upland massif surrounded by fluvial, lake and organic deposits in the lowlands of the Sumas and Figure 7 Common glacial landforms observed upon ice retreat, some of which are observed in the Sumas Prairie and highlighted during the field trip (examples: outwash plain, kettle lake, delta, moraine and till).

Natural Resources:Abbotsford gets 95% of its drinking water from Norrish CreekThe city of Abbotsford derives most (95%) of its drinking water from Norrish Creek Cannell Lake (north of Mission). Glacial deposits and modern sediments that underlie the Sumas and Matsqui prairies are host to aquifers that are important sources of high quality water for drinking, agriculture and industry. The Abbotsford Aquifer is heavily used by agricultural and is a highly vulnerable shallow aquifer, easily contaminated by downward infiltration of water laden with fertilizers, pesticides, manure, septic effluent, or hydrocarbon spills. Groundwater potential for faulted and fractured igneous and porous sedimentary bedrock underlying Sumas Mountain has not been assessed, but may be similar to bedrock aquifers north of Fraser River, for example in the Mission area. Bedrock aquifers are highly vulnerable because a thin cover of unconsolidated debris affords little protection against contamination. Sediment and bedrock aquifers may also have poor water quality because of naturally elevated chloride, iron, sulphur, fluoride and radon levels.

Bedrock and surficial deposits have been mined in the Sumas Mountain – Abbotsford area for over 100 years. At Cox Station (Stop 1), granitic rocks are quarried for granular aggregate that is used for road bases, clear crushed rock, rip rap and washed products. The products are derived from volcanic rocks at the Jamieson Quarry (Stop A). In the Kilgard Creek area, there is a long history of mining ay, initially for refractory brick manufacture, and later quarrying the high alumina sandstone and shale for cement manufacture and ther uses (Stop 2). Valley Gravel Sales (Stop 3A) is an active pit and provides access to fresh exposures of Pleistocene valley fill. Examples of eclaimed gravel operations can be seen at 29295 Huntingdon Road (Stop 3B) and, in a more advance state, at Aldergrove Lake Regional Park (Stop 3C).

- Sand and gravel- mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, conglomerate and rare coal seams- quartz- granite

Info: http://www.abbotsford.ca/Asset9752.aspx?method=1

Pictures: agriculture: http://www.al.gov.bc.ca/resmgmt/sf/residential_uses_in_ALR_consultation/index.htmmanufacturing: http://sinebridge.com/industries/manufacturing/

Aviation: http://www.productivity501.com/productive-airplane-rides/7720/

Industries/Jobs:

- main industries are agriculture, transportation/aerospace, manufacturing, retail - largest manufacturing companies fall into the categories of produce, processing,- some industries are directly related to construction, such as cabinet manufacture, concrete and

building materials, metal products and welding- others are aviation related industries, fire trucks and equipment and vehicle accessories- there are also many opportunities in the agri-tourism and sport industry

The largest manufacturing companies fall into the categories of produce, processing, seed, feed and fertilizer production, product storage and wood processing. A number of industries are directly related to construction, such as cabinet manufacture, concrete and building materials, metal products and welding. Others include aviation-related industries, fire trucks and equipment and vehicle accessories. Abbotsford also offers many unique opportunities in the sport and agri-tourism industry.

Known as the “The agricultural city of Canada”

Population Pyramid:Info: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/as-sa/fogs-spg/Facts-cma-eng.cfm?LANG=Eng&GK=CMA&GC=932

Migration Patterns:Info: http://www.cmhc.ca/en/co/buho/seca/ab/ab_001.cfm

PopulationMost Abbotsford residents came to this region after the Second World War. The Mennonite and Dutch communities arrived in the 1950s; many community leaders have their roots in these immigrant groups. The Indo-Canadian community arrived in the 1920s and has been very successful in business and in the region’s many berry farms. Most recently, a small but growing Korean community has brought its strong ties to the Asia-Pacific region.

As of the 2011 National Household Survey, there were 39,040 immigrants living in Abbotsford – Mission — 23.4 per cent of the total population. Of these, 15.2 per cent — 5,935 people in all — arrived between 2006 and 2011.Countries of originIndia, United Kingdom, United States, Netherlands, Other places of birth in Americas, Other places of birth in Europe, Germany, Other places of birth in Asia, South Korea, Philippines.First languages spokenEnglish, Panjabi (Punjabi), German, French, Dutch.ReligionsNo religious affiliation, Other Christian, Sikh, Catholic, United Church, Anglican.

Interprovincial info: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/91-209-x/2014001/article/14012/tbl/tbl1-eng.htmBritish Columbia dropped to a negative net migratory balance (-2,711) with the other provinces and territories in 2011/2012, largely due to a 15.5% increase (+6,871 persons) in the number of out-migrants (51,304). The last time British Columbia experienced negative net migration (-1,037) was in 2002/2003. Ontario and Alberta remained British Columbia’s biggest migratory partners. British Columbia’s net balance with Ontario (952) continued to be positive in 2011/2012, a trend beginning in 2002/2003, while its balance with Alberta (-5,361) became negative for the first time in six years.Info: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/91-209-x/2014001/article/14012-eng.htmhttp://www.welcomebc.ca/welcome_bc/media/Media-Gallery/docs/immigration/2006/Abbotsford.pdf

Cultural Activities:Info: http://www.hellobc.com/abbotsford/things-to-do.aspx http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/bridalveil_falls/

Museums:pictures: https://birthplaceofbcgallery.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/barbados-day-on-sat-aug-10-at-birthplace-of-b-c-gallery/

BC Farm Museum - Fort Langley

9131 King StFort Langley, British ColumbiaV1M 2R6Websitehttp://www.bcfma.comPhone604-888-2273

Bring the children, grandchildren, or your tourist guests to see the largest collection of pioneer artifacts in Western Canada. Two large buildings in Fort Langley - near the HBC Fort. You will find the most interesting collection of pioneer effects, tractors, carriages, small engines, as well as model engines. See the farm kitchen, the parlour & the textile room exhibiting a historic loom & sewing machines. Check out the working windmills & the large steam engine. The archival reference library contains thousands of books, manuals, magazines & other agricultural documents plus early photos. A great reference source for students of all ages. In 2015 we are adding new exciting interactive computer tablet terminals so you can watch many of our items in operation. Take all the photos you like.More DetailsEcoDairy in partnership with Science World -Abbotsford

1356 Sumas WayAbbotsford, British ColumbiaV2S 8H2Websitehttp://www.ecodairy.caPhone604-557-5481

EcoDairy in partnership with Science World inspires young minds to discover the science and technology behind where their food comes from. Our highly interactive learning environment has been developed in partnership with Science World British Columbia, the province's leading science and technology education facility.With help from our mascot, Vicki the Cow, you can test your skills at milking a cow, take a journey through a cow's digestive system and learn how we use cow manure to power our farm.In our dairy barn you will meet our cows and watch Robbie the Robotic Milker show off his milking prowess!More DetailsTravel Deal4

Fort Langley National Historic Site - Fort Langley

23433 Mavis AveFort Langley, British ColumbiaV1M 2R5Websitehttp://www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fortlangleyPhone604-513-4777

Explore this exciting 1800s fur trade post where you are the explorer. Like discovering a time capsule, step inside the buildings & feel what it was like to be there.Make a deal for furs on the very spot where First Nations people traded salmon, furs & cranberries for Hudson's Bay Company goods. Sign a proclamation where British Columbia was proclaimed a colony.Visit with costumed interpreters, watch blacksmithing & barrel-making demonstrations & simply explore!Enjoy cultural exhibits, a gift shop, Full Barrel Café (summer) & much more.The Glass Hive Studio - Abbotsford

30273 Canary CtAbbotsford, British ColumbiaV4X 2N4Websitehttp://www.theglasshive.caPhone604-615-6902

The Glass Hive Studio is an operating studio that teaches the Art of Fused Glass and sells finished product in the retail area of the studio. The daily classes are from beginners to advanced and all materials are supplied. You will have a rainbow of colours of glass to choose from for your projects and will have nothing but fun creating. Even the most artistically challenged person is amazed at what they can do when they are finished their class. I make everything from wind chimes to elegant vases and dinnerware in the studio and also do custom work.

Activites:pic: http://www.bcsportbikes.com/forum/showthread.php/113795-Vancouver-skydive-boogie

Skydive Vancouver - Abbotsford

5112 Gladwin RdAbbotsford, British ColumbiaV4X 1X8Websitehttp://www.vancouver-skydiving.bc.caToll-free888-738-5867Phone604-327-5867

Skydive Vancouver is open every day, all year-round, weather permitting. Our Drop Zone is situated one hour east of downtown Vancouver, in the picturesque surroundings of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford. Experience heights of 4,267 m (14,000 ft) & 60 seconds of free fall. Have your first tandem skydive video taped so you can take it home & show friends & family. All tandem skydiving videos come with you as the star, music, slow

motion, still shots & are all supplied on high quality DVD. Jump start your day & book this memorable experience!Backcountry ATV & Snowmobile Rentals -Surrey

19585 56 Avenue 8Surrey, British ColumbiaV3S 6K3Websitehttp://backcountryrentals.caToll-free855-945-3439Phone604-227-2869

Backcountry ATV & Snowmobile Rentals is your number one choice for an unparalleled adventure experience! Based in Greater Vancouver, our powerful quads & sleds will outperform your expectations & give you an atmosphere of great stature since all the ATVs & snowmobiles that we rent out are brand new, well serviced & are all in perfect condition.Rent our ATVs & snowmobiles with confidence, knowing that you will always get the best rates in BC. At the moment Backcountry Rentals rents out the phenomenal Ski-Doo, Yamaha snowmobiles, Polaris RZR & many ATVs.That means you will experience the topmost quality while riding ATV & snowmobile trails around breathtaking British Columbia with guaranteed value for the money whether in summer or winter.2015 Motorcycle Show - Abbotsford

1190 Cornell StAbbotsford, British ColumbiaV2T 6H5Websitehttp://www.vancouvermotorcycleshow.ca

Daily from January 23, 2015 to January 25, 2015The 2015 Motorcycle Show is coming to the Fraser Valley Trade and Exhibition Centre in Abbotsford, with the world's top manufacturers showcasing their newest makes and models alongside vintage bike displays, an abundance of industry exhibitors, and shows by some of the most talented stunt and trials riders in North America.Abbotsford International Airshow - Abbotsford1464 Tower StAbbotsford, British ColumbiaV2T 6H5Daily from August 7, 2015 to August 9, 2015Abbotsford International Airshow began in 1962 when the recently formed Abbotsford Flying Club decided an airshow would be an effective way to promote flying from Abbotsford Airport. The Airshow is an aviation festival that has grown well beyond its borders over the past 5 decades. With a role from very early on as a significant stop on the 'Airshow Circuit,' Abbotsford has distinguished itself as an event on aviation excellence, aerospace advancement & community participation.The line-up includes fighter jets, experimental aircraft, cargo planes, vintage, helicopters, small corporate jets & speciality surveillance planes.Places to Go:pic: http://www.seela.org/hollywood-farmers-market/

Abbotsford Farm & Country Market -AbbotsfordMontrose Ave & North Of George Ferguson WayAbbotsford, British ColumbiaV2T 1W7Daily from April 19, 2014 to December 20, 2014The Market remains a premier shopping experience offering an array of fresh produce, processed foods, garden plants, arts & crafts. The selection changes from week to week as fresh produce, fruit, plants & other agricultural products come into season.Christmas Festival at Willoughby Town Centre- Langley20678 Willoughby Town Centre DriveLangley, British ColumbiaV2Y 0L7Saturday, December 13, 2014Come join us at Willoughby Town Centre for a Christmas Festival! Special performances are happening through out the day including Cole Armour, local choirs and dance crews. There will be plenty of family activities including a horse and carriage ride, photos with Santa and themed petting zoo. There will be lots of Christmas treats as well as a food and craft market.Parks:pic: https://www.flickr.com/groups/naturetrustofbc?rb=1 Bridal Veil Falls Provincial ParkAbout This ParkLocated east of Chilliwack, Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park is a scenic day-use area. The landscape encompassing the park is characterized by low elevation valleys and lush, rounded mountains. Visitors can enjoy picnicking, hiking, and viewing the spectacular Bridal Veil Falls, which tumbles 60 metres over a smooth rock face, creating a “veil-like” effect.

Park Size: 32 hectares

Stay Safe: Bridal Veil Falls is prone to freezing during colder winters, which results in the formation of an unstable wall

of ice. During these periods, the base of the falls is an extremely hazardous area. Please use caution at the base of the falls as it may be subject to slippery footing and falling rock or ice.

Location and Maps Location Map

The park is located on the south side of the Fraser River, 16 km east of Chilliwack. Take Exit 135 off Highway 1 and follow the signs. The nearest communities, towns and cities are Bridal Falls and Chilliwack.

Nature and Culture History - Prior to the park attaining Provincial Park status in 1965, Bridal Veil Falls was used to generate

electricity in the early 1900s for the Bridal Falls Chalet. Today, only traces of the concrete foundation for the power generator can be found.

Cultural Heritage - Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park is located at the site of the ancient village of Popkum which has settlement records dating back to the 1700s. Popkum is a First Nations word meaning “puff ball”, a plant which grows in the area in abundance.

Conservation - The park is situated in the Coastal Western Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone. Western red cedar, western hemlock, broadleaf maple, and red alder form a dense canopy over a sparse understory of western sword fern and spiny wood ferns.

Wildlife - The significant wildlife species in the park are primarily songbirds and small mammals. Songbird species include the varied thrush, black-throated gray warbler, and red-breasted nuthatch. Transient species include porcupine, Columbia blacktail deer, and black bear.

Management PlanningManagement Planning Information

Approved Management Plan

Activities Available at this Park

HikingThere is a one loop trail that will take you to the viewing platform near the base of the falls (½ hour return). For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.

Pets on LeashPets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.

Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.

Wildlife ViewingThere is a viewing platform at the base of Bridal Veil Falls.

Albert Dyck Memorial ParkThe highlight of Albert Dyck Memorial Park is its man-made lake created from a former industrial cement-works pit. Specifically designed for wakeboarding and water skiing, the park has hosted numerous national and provincial tournaments. The lake invites swimming, fishing, sunset picnics on the sandy beach and wildlife viewing, usually blue herons, ducks and other waterfowl.Mcdonald ParkAs Canada's second, and British Columbia's only designated Dark Sky Park (DSP), Mcdonald Park is officially free of light pollution for clear-sighted gazing into the night sky.Tucked against Sumas Mountain, the park has a natural geographic advantage as the mountain slopes act like a huge amphitheatre to block off the light of Abbotsford to the west, Chilliwack to the east and Mission to the North. The result is an excellent east-south and western exposure.

More Websites:http://www.hellobc.com/abbotsford.aspxhttp://www.tourismabbotsford.ca/Urban-Trailshttp://www.abbotsford.ca/Home.htm