Chilliwack has come of age. Still a favourite getaway for city weary Vancouverites, the last decade has seen this Fraser Valley community emerge as a vibrant, urban centre with a sizzling hot residential market plus schools, services, recreational opportunities of every variety, and a thriving cultural identity.
EXPAND YOUR MIND
Home to some70,000 people, Chilliwack’s learning opportunities are plentiful - for all age groups. School District 33 encompasses 34 schools including Sardis Elementary and Strathcona Elementary, which both offer popular Late French Immersion Programs (starting in Grade Six).
After graduation, there’s no need to travel too far to continue your education. For classes ranging from business to bassoon playing, check out the Valley School of Beauty, Pacific Rim Safety Training Institute, Sprott-Shaw College, Vancouver Career College, and Academy of Music.
However, it’s probably the University College of the Fraser Valley (UCFV) that’s best known for advanced education. In addition to flagship programs in agriculture, theatre, and health sciences, UCFV has just introduced a new MA degree in Criminal Justice a first for Canada.
Causing a huge wave of excitement is another first: Chilliwack’s Canada Education Park. To be situated on the old Canada Force’s base, the vision is ambitious. “We will move our current campus there from downtown where we have no room to expand, “says UCFV community relations spokesperson Dave Stephens. “The RCMP is already offering courses there, and the Justice Institute is also expected to move from their current small building and add more programs. And we’ve had expressions of interest from two Chinese universities considering this the site of their first campuses outside Mainland China.”
As if all this isn’t enough, the Education Park will also become the global headquarters and new campus for the World Trade University. “This project is going to fundamentally change the nature of our community for the better,” Dave says, adding changes will progress slowly. “You aren’t going to see thousands of students suddenly arrive, so we will have time to build the needed infrastructure as the park evolves.”
GETTING CULTURED
The arts too are alive and well in Chilliwack. Galleries, live theatre, festivals 1 they’re all here, all year long. Word lovers will find plenty to entertain at the local library, one of the oldest of its kind in North America and providing more than a million volumes to local readers. An unusual literary treat can be found at the UCFV’s Shakespearean garden created by students and featuring rare plants and herbs made famous by the Bard himself.
RECREATION 101
People who like their recreational options a tad less “au natural” won’t be disappointed either. From Par 3 to championship, there’s a golf course nearby to satisfy. Festivals from bluegrass or chuckwagon and barrel racing to bee threshing or the Chilliwack Flight Fest run steadily through the year and are often great ways to learn something new while spending time with your family. Tip: the Chilliwack Heritage Park has something running almost every week.
Causing a stir in hockey circles is the recent announcement Prospera Centre may receive a $1.25 million upgrade. Already an ice skating facility that’s home to numerous rising stars, Prospera could become home to the Western Hockey League’s Americans who always score high on the NHL draft picks.
Ever popular, the Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre houses a 25-metre pool and wave pool, sauna, fitness area, and wellness centre, or get wet at Cultus Lake. Here you’ll find not just water sports but mini-golf, go-carts, golf, and camping. Just keep your eyes open for shla-lah-kum, because rumours of these supernatural creatures living in the “bottomless” lake still persist.
WELCOME HOME
With so much to offer, Chilliwack has one more outstanding feature: great housing at affordable prices. Although condominiums are still sparse except in the downtown core, townhomes and single-family house construction shows no sign of slowing down. Most new growth is concentrated in the Sardis and Promontory neighbourhoods, with the Eastern Hills just starting follow their lead.
Innovative, and definitely one place to watch is Garrison Crossing. Once the Chilliwack Army Base, Garrison Crossing is undergoing a transformation into an upscale, distinctly “Oh Wow” neighbourhood. The initial phase of single-family homes are stylish and sophisticated, and with its attractive, tree-filled setting, there’s already a sense of being in an old, established area. Ultimately it’s expected Garrison Crossing will have a broad range of housing options.
By Susan M. Boyce
Properties:
In Chilliwack
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