Thursday - July 18, 2024 - North Mission gets industrial

☀ High 28C

Good morning!

A poll was conducted the other day about whether BC should remove the Union Jack from its flag. Now, this is not an actual plan anyone is trying to do. It's just something that was polled because it's interesting and, if people agree with the idea, worth talking about it. Alas, fewer than one-third agreed with removing the Union Jack.

I find myself in the minority here, even if my reasons might not be the same as some. There are people who see the Union Jack as representative of the worst parts of colonialism. I understand that, though I think consistently changing symbols is a futile exercise. So that's not why I would be happy to see it removed from the flag. I think our flag has great potential, but the Union Jack is an extraneous and cluttering addition to what is otherwise a great flag. It’s extraneous because although it signals BC's connection to its formal creation, the UK is no longer a fundamental aspect of our province. It’s ugly because it’s ugly. The blue and white of the two halves of the flag clash.

I think the trickier question is what would replace the Union Jack if it were to disappear. And, in the end, that's why it's not going to change (so passionate fights are pointless even as fun thought exercises can be entertaining). Even if you could get people to agree to ditch the British flag, you're never going to get them to land on a new banner.

Yesterday I did my be-a-member pitch and then botched the price, saying it amounted to $2 a month rather than the $2 per week that it actually is. Sorry. Grace goes on vacation and my safety net disappears. I still think $2 a week is a good deal to preserve local news. You can become a member here (and help pay for more safety nets).

– Tyler

Support local journalism by supporting The Current. Become a Current Insider member today and help bring local stories to life.

Traffic & Weather

🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope

🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.

🛣 Click here for links to road cameras across the Fraser Valley, including those for the Coquihalla, Highway 7, Hope-Princeton, Fraser Canyon, and Highway 1 in Langley and Abbotsford.

NEWS

Why one development has the potential to reshape an entire community

After years of planning and consultation, a massive proposed development near a tiny Fraser Valley community has cleared a key hurdle, even as new ones approach.

But the future of Lake Errock remains uncertain, with significant local opposition to a proposal that could more than triple the population of the community, and with no politician yet willing to say they support the project’s core goals.

• Today, Tyler writes about Harrison Rise—a proposal to turn an old gravel quarry into a development with more people than currently live in Lake Errock.

Related

Need to Know

🚗 A driver in Langley died after their vehicle struck a tree and they were ejected from the vehicle [CTV]

🔥 A wildfire that started Tuesday afternoon on train tracks between Boston Bar and Lytton is no longer out of control [BC Wildfire Service]

👉 The story of Jacob Wilson, an Abbotsford man who suffered a traumatic brain injury and later died from an overdose, was cited as the House of Commons voted to create a new brain injury strategy [Abbotsford News] / We shared Jacob’s mother’s memories of her son in 2022 [FVC]

🚬 A large wildfire burning in Washington State may send smoke north towards the Fraser Valley over the coming days [Firesmoke.ca]

🚧 Three First Nations hope to build four towers with 1,500 homes near Langley’s Carvolth bus exchange [Daily Hive]

🔊 The horrors inflicted on a young boy in care who died in the Fraser Valley should spur a wholescale reconsideration of BC’s family care ministry, BC’s children’s representative says [Vancouver Sun]

👉 Lougheed Highway will be partially closed in downtown Mission this weekend to make way for construction work [Mission Record]

👉 Rappers T.I. and Fat Joe will perform in Abbotsford this fall [Georgia Straight]

🍴 Shandhar Hut has opened a new location in Chilliwack [Fraser Valley Today]

❌ Fraudsters are impersonating Abbotsford city staff to get personal information [City of Abbotsford]

📷 CURRENT CAM: Congrats to Joy Ruffeski, who was the first of many people to identify yesterday’s Current Cam photo of the Derek Doubleday Arboretum in Langley

⭐️Voting is now open for the Georgia Straight's annual Best of Vancouver awards. Give some love to your favourite shops, arts and entertainment venues, and so much more.*

🖼 The Chilliwack Mural Festival returns August 15-17 featuring free live music, 8 new murals, interactive art, a kid’s zone, food trucks, and an art market.*

🚶‍♀️ Explore the heart of Mission on the Historical Downtown Walking Tours, uncovering history as you stroll along 1st and 2nd Ave. First tour starts July 20, click here for more information!*

*Sponsored Listing

Enjoying our newsletter? Help us make it even better!

Become an Insider member and help keep local journalism and storytelling alive in the Fraser Valley.

The Agenda

Construction starts on large north Mission industrial project

Construction has begun on one of the largest industrial projects in the Fraser Valley’s recent history. Developers and officials in Mission broke ground Tuesday on a 400,000-square-foot project in northern Mission.

According to the builders, the project will increase the city’s light industrial base by 25 per cent. The project sits just west of Mission Institution in an area that has long been eyed for industrial development, but where no large-scale industrial buildings have yet been built.

Reaching the nearest highway requires a 3.5-kilometre drive through areas that are largely residential, and traffic issues delayed approval of the project in 2022. Council subsequently approved the project after the developer made promises regarding traffic. As a condition of rezoning, Mission received a two-acre parcel of land for a new fire station on Dewdney Trunk Road.

Share

You can share this newsletter by forwarding it or copy and pasting this link—https://fvcurrent.com/p/july-18-2024/—into a social media post.

🗓 Things to do this week/end

🛹Skateboard art: Join Abbotsford’s artist in residence to make custom stickers at the McMillan Youth Park skate park July 18 from 10am to 1:30pm. No registration required. Details online.

🌈Pride in the valley: The Chilliwack Pride Festival returns to downtown Chilliwack Sunday, July 21 from 10am to 4pm to celebrate belonging and inclusivity. The festival will feature 150 local vendors, food trucks, face painting, drag performances, a beer garden, and kid-friendly activities. Details online.

🎬 Free movie: Cultus Lake Park hosts a free movie night Friday, July 19, at sunset. Bring your own chairs, blankets, and popcorn and watch the feature film Kung Fu Panda 4. Details online.

Want even more? Insider members get a comprehensive events listing every Thursday, plus a weekly Saturday round-up edition with behind-the-scenes content. Becoming a member costs less than $2 a week and helps support the ongoing production of The Current’s newsletters and in-depth journalism. Become a member here.

Have an event to tell us about? Fill out this form to have it highlighted here.

Catch up

That’s it!

Thanks for reading Fraser Valley Current today ♥️

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another local.

And before you go, please let us know:

Help share The Current

Wouldn’t the Fraser Valley be better if more people had access to local, quality news – and didn’t have to rely on social media? Share The Current with your friends and help us build better communities.