Self-guidedtourfortheedukitNeighbourhoodHistoryWalk:MillLake
Note:StartingfromCentennialPool,thesestopswilltakeparticipantsaroundthe1.3kmMillLakeParkLoop,movingcounterclockwisearoundthelaketocompletethetourwheretheystarted.WeencourageparticipantstouseGoogleMapsoranothermapappontheirphoneswhennecessarytohelpfindthelocations.STOP1:CENTENNIALPARKANDCENTENNIALPOOL
Whereisit?LocatedonthewesternendofMillLakePark.CentennialPoolisonthenorthernsectionofEmersonRoad.
Whythisname?Acentennialreferstoahundredyearsoftime.In1958,Abbotsford’sCentennialParkandCentennialPoolweredevelopedtocelebratetheProvinceofBritishColumbia’s100yearssincejoiningCanadianconfederation(whenBritishColumbiabecameaprovincewithinCanada).Thetwentyfive-metreCentennialPoolwasoneofthreepools(theothertwopoolsincludedajuniorpoolandatoddlers’pool).OnJune2,1958,over5,000peoplegatheredtoseetheparkandpoolopen-whatacrowdedpoolparty!
WhatdoesthisnameteachusaboutthehistoryofAbbotsford?AbbotsfordwantedtocelebrateitsownlocalcommunityaswellasitspartinCanada.
Walkinginstructions:Ifyou’restandingatCentennialPoolfacingthelake,walktotherighttogettothenextstop(TretheweyHouse)andcontinuemovingcounterclockwisearoundthelake.
STOP2:TRETHEWEYHOUSE
Whereisit?Thehouseislocatedontheeastsideofthelakeat2313WareStreet.
Whythisname?Thename“Trethewey”wasthefamilynamebelongingtobrothersJosephOgleTrethewey,RichardArthurTrethewey,andSamuelDunnTretheweywhoownedtheAbbotsfordLumberCompanyontheshoresofthelake
from1903to1935.Joesphbuiltthisfamilyhomein1920anditrepresentsthefamily’svaluablecontributiontolocalgrowthanddevelopmentofthecommunityinpresent-dayAbbotsford.
WhatdoesthisnameteachusaboutthehistoryofAbbotsford?Forestrywasaveryimportantindustrytothisareaandthelakenotonlysupportedthemillbutthemill’sownerswholivednearby.Walkinginstructions:Continuetonextstop.STOP3:JOHNMAHONEYPARK
Whereisit?ThisparkislocatedonthesoutheastsideofthelakeandispartofMillLakePark.Theexactlocationalongthepathcanbefoundifyousearch“JohnMahoneyPlayground”intheGoogleMapsapp.
Whythisname?ThisparkwasnamedforJohn“Jock”MahoneywhocametoB.C.intheearly1900sandfoundworkwiththeAbbotsfordLumberCompanyasalogger.Loggingpaidwell,allowingJocktobuy40acreswherehetriedhishandatfarming.Laterinlife,Jockboughtthreeacresoflandbythelakeandbuiltahousetherein1920.
WhatdoesthisnameteachusaboutthehistoryofAbbotsford?Thisnameteachesusabouttheindustryopportunitiesforpeopleworkingintheareaintheearly1900s:forestryandagriculture.Walkinginstructions:Continuetonextstop.STOP4:WILLBANDCREEK
Whereisit?WillbandCreekflowsoutofMillLakenearKaritonHouseandthroughaculvert(atunnelcarryingastreamunderground)throughpresent-daydowntownAbbotsford.(OutsideofMillLakePark,itbecomesvisibleagainnearMoreyRoadthenflowsnorthundertheAbbotsfordMissionHighwayandjoinsMatsquiSlough.)
Whythisname?ThesectionofthecreekinMillLakeParkisnamedforanimportantbusinessmannamedMr.Willband.In1912,heboughttwoacresoflandwherethecreeknowflowsintoMillLake.Mr.WillbandwasimportanttohistoricalAbbotsfordbecauseofthenumberofjobshecreatedinhissashanddoorfactory.A“sash”isaframeworkforawindowordoorthatcanbemovedwithintheframe(e.g.,apaneofglassinacardoor).
WhatdoesthisnameteachusaboutthehistoryofAbbotsford?Thename“Willband”teachesusthatindustrieslikeMr.WIllband’sfactoryintheearly1900swereimportantforsupportingthelocaleconomy.
Walkinginstructions:Continuetonextstop.STOP5:KARITONHOUSE
Whereisit?Thehouseislocatedontheeastsideofthelakeattheaddress2387WareStreet.
Whythisname?KaritonHouseisnamedforWernerKaritonwholivedinituntilhepassedawayin1983.
WhatdoesthisnameteachusaboutthehistoryofAbbotsford?Thename“Kariton”showsusthatplacenamescanrelatetothehistoryofalocation.Today,KaritonHouseishometotheAbbotsfordArtsCouncil,anorganizationthatsupportslocalartistsinmanyways.OneofthewaystheysupportartistsisbyshowinglocalartworkinasectionofthehousethatiscalledtheKaritonArtGallery.Thename“Kariton”liveson!Walkinginstructions:ContinuemovingcounterclockwisearoundthelaketogetbacktoCentennialPool.
