Friday - April 11, 2025 - A new splash park for Harrison?

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Good morning!

Yesterday, we published the list of candidates running in the federal election and somehow left off Mike de Jong, who is running as an independent. Given that he is probably the most-famous candidate in the entire region, I’m not sure how I missed his name—you folks certainly didn’t. Thanks for the good-spirited reminders and questions. Grace, who definitely would have caught the omission, is back from her vacation on Monday, thank goodness.

– Tyler

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Home prices start to rise again

Home prices modestly increased across much of the Fraser Valley in March, even as sales were relatively limited.

Although prices remain lower than a year ago, they have broadly risen over the last six months, despite economic uncertainty.

• Today, we have our monthly look at the housing market. 

Related

Need to Know

🚔 Police arrested a chemist and seized equipment from drug labs in Mission and Aldergrove [CBC]

🏠 Chilliwack council approved a developer’s plan to turn a mobile home park into a townhouse complex [Fraser Valley Today]

💥 An explosion in Abbotsford rattled windows Thursday morning; it turned out to be blasting at a Sumas Mountain quarry [Vancouver Is Awesome]

👉 An Abbotsford student-led non-profit group handed out care packages in the Downtown Eastside [Abbotsford News]

⛔ A truck crashed into a Mission ravine last week; the owner was found at a nearby home [Mission Record]

🚓 A police vehicle was involved in a three-vehicle crash involving a suspect and an innocent civilian [Langley Advance Times]

🚧 Work has begun to restore the former site of the Hope Station House [Hope Standard]

🚫 The McCombs Drive bridge in Harrison Hot Springs will be closed longer than previously anticipated [Agassiz-Harrison Observer]

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🗳 Election 2025

The federal election campaign continues until election day on Monday, April 28. Advance voting will take place over the Easter weekend, from Friday, April 18 to Monday, April 21. Find everything you need to know—including where to vote—by visiting one of our local election hubs:

Chilliwack, Hope, and the Eastern Valley | Abbotsford and Mission | Langley

The latest

📺 Chilliwack-Hope candidates took part in a streamed all-candidates meeting Thursday night; you can watch it here

🔊 Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford candidates discussed economic issues, sovereignty, and housing at an all-candidates meeting this week [Mission Record]

The Agenda

Harrison plots new splash park and kayak launch

Harrison Hot Springs is hoping to build a splash park and a canoe and kayak launch. But the dreams are dependent on funding from the province.

Members of the public have been asking about the possibility of a spray park for the past several years, city staff say in a draft application for funding from the Resort Municipality Initiative, a provincial program that supports designated resort municipalities like Harrison Hot Springs.

A renovation of the beachfront has opened up space for a splash pad in the area. City staff say the splash park would provide a new place for guests to cool down on increasingly frequent hot days.

Harrison also hopes to build a canoe and kayak launch that would allow paddlers to access the lake out of the way of motor boats.

While the new boat launch would require more planning than the new splashpad, it comes with a smaller price tag. The location for the splashpad is already selected, but the planning and equipment required to get the attraction operational will cost about $400,000. On the other hand, the canoe and kayak launch would need a location selected, but is still expected to only cost about $20,000.

City staff say both projects would enhance visitors’ experience in the town and promote tourism and would be funded through the Resort Municipality Initiative.

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🗓 Things to do

Climate fair: The Chilliwack Rotary Club hosts its third annual climate fair at the Chilliwack Landing Sports Centre on Saturday and Sunday. Listen to speakers discuss wildfires, urban ecological footprints, the media's role in climate discourse, and more. Details online.

Mission hike: Mission city staff are hosting a guided hike to Moon Rock on Bear Mountain on Sunday, April 13. Prepare for a two-hour hike with a great view at the top. Details online.

Tasty concert: Quartetto Gelato will bring its entertaining approach, combining classical compositions and folk, tango and pop tunes at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, April 11, at 7:30pm. Details online.

Declutter for a cause: The Rotary Club of Abbotsford-Sumas holds its metal recycling fundraiser April 12 from 9am to 3pm at Abbotsford Pentecostal Church. Residents are asked to bring their old metal products, appliances, and other goods. Details online.

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