Mission Community Heritage Commission
On March 20, 2006 Council adopted a Heritage Strategic Plan and a Terms of Reference for the Mission Community Heritage Commission. Council reviews applications for Commission membership and appoints members to the Commission in the spring each year.
In March of 2009 District of Mission Council adopted policy LAN.57 Identification and Protection of Heritage Resources.
The objectives are:
- To establish a policy pursuant to Part 27 Heritage Conservation of the Local Government Act and the District of Mission Heritage Strategic Plan that protects the Heritage Resources within the District of Mission.
- To establish a framework for Council, staff, and the public to easily identify Heritage Resources within the District of Mission.
Background
There are three categories included in the LAN.57 policy: i) Inventory of Heritage Resources, ii) Heritage Register, and iii) Provincial Heritage Designation.
As the Mission Community Heritage Commission works through the goals and objectives of the Heritage Strategic Plan the LAN.57 policy will be updated to include additional heritage resources as they need to be added, criteria for inclusion in the policy and may include protection mechanisms for heritage resources within the District of Mission.
This policy provides a basic framework of how heritage resources within the District of Mission will be protected through a classification based on specific criteria for each category.
District of Mission Community Heritage Register
The six properties that have been included in the Community Heritage Register are listed below. The statements of significance which describes the historic values for each property can be viewed by clicking on the title or the picture of each site.
Fraser River Heritage Park
Description: The Fraser River Heritage Park is a large park located on the former site of St. Mary’s Indian Residential School in Mission, British Columbia. The park has a panoramic view of the Fraser River Valley and Mount Baker. It is predominantly a large open space with mature trees, paths, benches, newer wooden structures, a restaurant and administration building. Special features of the park are the foundations of the school buildings, the original orchard, the heritage plants in the rhododendron and rose gardens, and the reconstructed Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Fraser River Heritage Park
Location Map
MISSION MEMORIAL CENTRE
The Mission Memorial Centre is important for is cultural and historical significance.
Description: The Mission Memorial Centre , also known as the Old Hospital, is a one storey building located on the corner of Fifth Street and James Street in Mission, British Columbia. It is easily identified by its symmetrical brick façade, hi-style roof, and formal driveway entry.
Mission Memorial Centre
Location Map
MISSION MUSEUM
The Mission Museum is valued for its historic and cultural significance.
Description: The Mission Museum is a two-storey wood–frame building with multiple dormers and a full-width covered front porch. A set of full width stairs leads up to the porch where there are three pair of Doric columns. It is located on Second Avenue at the intersection of Welton Street in Mission, British Columbia.
SILVERHILL HALL
Silverhill Hall is important for its historic and cultural values.
Description: Silverhill Hall is a modest and rustic wooden structure with a simple gable roof. It is located on Silverhill Avenue, surrounded by trees, about 8 kilometres west of downtown Mission, British Columbia.
STAVE FALLS POWER HOUSE
Built in phases over a period of time from 1909 – 1925, the Stave Falls Power House is valued for its historic, architectural and cultural significance.
Description: The Stave Falls Power House is a large rectangular building constructed of reinforced concrete and steel and located in Mission, British Columbia. Its south elevation has three rows of paired windows; its north elevation only one row. The building site wedged between the steeply banked gorges of Stave Falls on a switchyard tailrace deck.
Stave Falls Powerhouse
Location Map
Xá:ytem Longhouse
Description: Xá:ytem is located above the north banks of the Fraser River in Mission, British Columbia and is a traditional gathering place of the Sto:lo. It is a Coast Salish site of spiritual significance to the Sto:lo people because of it’s Transformer Rock – sometimes called Hatzic Rock.
This beautiful site features the Transformer Stone, 2 contemporary skumels (pithouses), a contemporary longhouse interpretive centre and gift shop, an artisan shelter and gathering areas. It has been the site of numerous archaeological digs that confirm thousands of years of occupation. The site is a now marked with interpretive signage.
