Tuesday, August 1, 2023 - Two decades of change in Mission

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 | ☀ High 26C

Good morning!

As I write this, my foot is cartoonishly inflated as a result of a hornet sting on Saturday. Still, it could be worse. I have a bad track record with wasps and the like. There was the time I was hiking back from a glacier and one came out of nowhere and made a bee-line for my eye. By the next day, I couldn’t see out of it and had to call in sick to work. Or last year, when I was stung and ended up briefly in hospital (possibly also from a bit of heat stroke). Between bears and cougars, wildlife in Canada can be a bit intimidating. But I’ll take a bear sighting over a nest full of hornets any day.

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WORTH KNOWING

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NEWS

Two decades of change: Mission

This is one of a series of articles using satellite imagery to chart the changing face of Fraser Valley communities—and the land on which they sit.

Previously: Abbotsford | Langley

Mission is in the midst of a delayed building boom. Developments in the Silverhills area and on the waterfront are likely to bring transformative change in the coming decade. But while town has developed relatively slowly over the past two decades, it’s hardly stayed the same.

• Today, we look at how Mission has changed over the past two decades, as revealed in satellite images.

• Want to learn about how to use online tools to explore changes across the Fraser Valley? When the series concludes, Tyler will give Insider members a step-by-step guide to how they can use the same techniques to survey changes in their neighbourhood, or across the world. Become an Insider here.

Need to know

🚁 A Chilliwack man who had a stroke in Ontario is trying to get home but needs an air ambulance that he might have to pay for himself [CTV]

❌ A woman denied access to a Langley casino believes she was discriminated against because of her disability [Global]

💰 The former finance director of the Abbotsford Police Department received house arrest for defrauding the department of more than $300,000; there was little financial oversight of her actions [Vancouver Is Awesome]

✈ WestJet will fly direct from Abbotsford to Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos this winter [Daily Hive]

🚔 Federal and provincial reviews of the RCMP could change the face of policing in BC—and the Fraser Valley [Vancouver Sun]

🚚 Mission’s Wren Street Bridge is closed to truck traffic after an inspection revealed safety concerns [City of Mission]

🚛 A semi-truck rolled over on the Abbotsford Mission Bridge, creating a huge mess and slowing traffic [Mission Record]

👉 BC Housing says it is disappointed that Abbotsford council voted against extending a permit for a downtown homeless shelter that is regularly full [Abbotsford News]

💲 The City of Mission received nearly $40,000 to go towards rehabbing the exterior of the Mission Museum [City of Mission]

🗳 A single mom and her daughter lost their home, belongings, and cat in a recent Aldergrove fire; they’re raising money to restart [GoFundme]

🚓 An Abbotsford Police officer whose dog bit a man in the face won’t be charged [Vancouver Sun]

⚖ An Aldergrove man’s trial for child porn offences began Monday [Langley Advance Times]

👉 A Chilliwack woman said she was traumatized after finding a man fondling himself outside her home [Chilliwack Progress]

The Agenda

Lytton history organizations honoured

Three Lytton organizations have been honoured for their work to rebuild following the 2021 fire.

The British Columbia Historical Federation recently recognized Lytton First Nation, Lytton Chinese History Museum, and the Lytton Museum & Archives with its cultural resource accessibility award.

All three were recognized at a recent gala for their dedication to rebuild and re-establish lost artifact collections.

“Each is doing remarkable work rebuilding important collections that speak to the rich history, people and events in one of the provinces oldest communities,” the historical federation declared in a press release.

While they work to restore their collections, John Haugen of Lytton First Nation, Richard Forrest of Lytton Museum & Archives, and Lorna Fandrich of the Lytton Chinese History Museum have also been getting help from the public.

“I now have about 450 artifacts that have been donated by individuals and museums with the promise of more items when I am ready,” Fandrich told the federation’s Mark Forsythe. Forrest said he has had donations of photos, while others have promised to send artifacts once there is a building to house them. Forrest was also able to save a digital copy of both museums’ archives.

Haugen lost a priceless Nlaka’pamux basket collection (along with his home). Haugen told Forsythe that donations are helping to rebuild the collection: Pemberton’s museum has offered to repatriate a basket, and another resident returned an item her mother had collected nearly 100 years ago from a residential school.

Library system posts large surplus

The Fraser Valley Regional Library ran a much larger surplus than expected last year, in part because of difficulties finding staff.

The regional library system posted a surplus of about $1.7 million in 2022. That follows 2021’s surplus of $1.9 million. Prior to the pandemic, the library regularly ran surpluses one-third that size.

The larger surpluses are largely a result of paying fewer workers, according to a report to the library’s board. Higher rates of sick leave and long-term sick leave, and difficulty filling staff vacancies and recruiting replacements for senior positions, have left the library with more cash in the bank, but fewer boots doing library work.

The library is largely funded by local municipalities through property taxes. About two-third of expenses are for salaries and benefits, with the rest split between infrastructure, library materials, and ongoing operating costs.

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🍴 Yam It: Yam It. Langley. A Korean-style snack bar with dishes like sweet potatoes and ice cream, deep-fried rice cakes, and Korean corndogs. Open noon to 8pm Tuesday to Saturday.

🍴 Chutney’s Indian Grill: Chutney's Indian Grill. Abbotsford and Langley. Indian fast food with plenty of online ordering options. Burritos start at about $11. Open 10:30am to 9pm or 10pm, depending on day and location.

🍴 Lake Bottom Cider: Chilliwack/Yarrow. A cidery on the eastern edge of Sumas Prairie, Lake Bottom Cider offers a range of ciders, along with several food options. Wood-smoked wings go for $13. Open 12:30 to 8pm/9pm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

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