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Canada Day is Wednesday, and there's plenty happening across the Fraser Valley — from Abbotsford's parade and fireworks to Chilliwack's drone show and Hope's car show and evening celebration. We've put together a guide to what's on in your community.

And speaking of community celebrations, Abbotsford's new West Railway Plaza is open and will soon come alive with local artists and vendors — a good sign for Historic Downtown.

– Emily

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🛣 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.

West Railway Plaza is open, and now the City of Abbotsford and the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association are working together to make it worth visiting.

The two organizations have partnered to activate the newly built plaza in Historic Downtown, with rotating pop-up markets, live art demonstrations, and performances planned throughout the year. The goal is to bring local artists, vendors, and community groups into the space and let the programming grow organically from there.

It's been a long time coming. The plaza's construction was a drawn-out process that affected nearby businesses, and the ADBA is keen to see the space pay off for the neighbourhood.

"The construction of West Railway Plaza was a long and challenging process, and we recognize the real impact it had on nearby businesses," said Ryan Leonhard, executive director of the ADBA. "Now that the plaza is open, this partnership with the City is an opportunity to bring the space to life and shape it into something vibrant — not just for downtown, but for the wider Abbotsford community."

The ADBA will handle day-to-day operations and programming decisions, with the City providing support. Artists and vendors interested in taking part can reach out to the association directly.

🚗 Abbotsford police have deployed Black Cat radar units around the city to identify speeding patterns, leading to nine vehicle impoundments in a two-day operation on Simpson Road where one driver was clocked at 126 km/h in a 50 zone. [Global News]

💼 The District of Hope is hiring a casual on-call clerk for its Finance Department at $34.63/hour, with an application deadline of July 17. [District of Hope]

🚘 The Fraser Valley Classic Car Show raised $20,157 for Chilliwack General Hospital, topping last year's $18,000. The raffle prize — a restored 2004 Saab convertible — was won by Gary and Lynne O'Keefe. [Fraser Valley Today]

🚗 A 16-year-old Chilliwack girl received a 90-day driving prohibition after failing a roadside breathalyzer near Mission Memorial Hospital, where she had been driving on a flat tire with a learner's licence and without the vehicle owner's permission. [Mission City Record]

🔥 A fire broke out at the Haven in the Hollow homeless shelter in Mission on June 27, causing significant damage to the building. No injuries were reported and all shelter guests have been relocated to temporary placements. [Fraser Valley Today]

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Canada Day falls on a Wednesday this year, and communities across the Fraser Valley have full days planned. Here's a rundown of what's on.

Abbotsford kicks things off with a parade at 11 AM along South Fraser Way, followed by a festival at Abbotsford Exhibition Park from 1 PM. This year's theme is Roots & Rhythm, celebrating the cultural diversity of the city. The day includes an agri-fun zone, arts and culture zone, artisan marketplace, food trucks, and a main stage concert headlined by country artist JoJo Mason. Fireworks start at 10 PM, weather permitting.

Chilliwack starts the day with a Sardis Kiwanis pancake breakfast at Evergreen Hall from 8 to 11 AM, free skating at Sardis Sports Complex, toonie swims at two leisure centres, and a Canada Day open house at the Chilliwack Museum. The evening celebration moves to Chilliwack Heritage Park starting at 4 PM, with live entertainment, food trucks, a vendor market, and a drone show to close out the night.

Hope has two celebrations on July 1. The Hope & Valley Cruisers host a car show at Memorial Park from 9 AM to 3 PM, with live music, vendors, food trucks, trophies, and a 50/50 draw. Free admission for spectators, with proceeds going to the Fraser Canyon Hospital Auxiliary. That evening, the Fraser Valley Regional District hosts a celebration at 6th Ave Park starting at 6 PM, with live music by Annika & the Earthlings, face painting, inflatables, axe throwing, bouncy castles, and rides.

Langley Township hosts its celebration at McLeod Athletic Park from noon to 10:30 PM, with live music, a kids zone, food trucks, artisan vendors, and fireworks at 10:15 PM. A free shuttle runs from KPU Langley campus every 20 minutes starting at 11:45 AM.

Aldergrove holds a free community celebration at the Royal Canadian Legion from 11 AM to 2 PM, with free hot dogs and drinks for kids, a photo booth, entertainment, and a flag-raising ceremony at 1 PM featuring Korean drummers. Bring a non-perishable food donation for the Aldergrove Food Bank.

Yoga in the Park at Cedarbrook: Cedar and Flo Yoga hosts an outdoor beginner-friendly yoga class on the Cedarbrook lawn in Chilliwack on June 29, with 50% of proceeds supporting the Centre for Epilepsy and Seizures in BC. Drop-in, $15, bring your own mat.

July 1st Mini Crawl at Ripples Winery: Wander between five food and cocktail booths in the gardens at Ripples Winery in Abbotsford on July 1, noon to 4 PM. Tickets include five food items and five drink samples.

Summer in the Courtyard at Willowbrook: Free weekly outdoor programming at The Courtyard at Willowbrook in Langley runs every Wednesday through Friday from July 3 to August 28, with Sports Days on Wednesdays, Splash Zone on Thursdays, and Movie Nights on Fridays.

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