Mouth of the FraserPublished by the Richmond Heritage Commission and Richmond Museum & Heritage Services Winter 2011

1City of Richmond Heritage News

Terra Nova Rural ParkAt the turn of the Century, Terra Nova on the north arm of the Fraser River was a rural farming and fishing area. Now, thanks to careful preservation and restoration, the 63-acre award-winning park shines as one of Richmond’s most loved parks, set amidst the natural beauty of estuary habitat, just minutes from the busy city centre.

Terra Nova has been specifically preserved to highlight its natural surroundings in a unique rural landscape and eco-system, which balances heritage, wildlife conser-vation, and recreational uses.

The park, which exemplifies the historic character of early agrarian and fishing

Continued on Page 2 Terra Nova Rural Park, 2010 Photo: City of Richmond

Last December, the Richmond Museum partnered with Alex Tse of CJSF 90.1FM to produce a radio podcast for its new exhibit The Cutting Edge: A History of Technology and Richmond. This pilot program allowed us to introduce the use of Smart Phone technology within the exhibit, providing possibly the f irst t ime in Canada that museum visi-tors could access exhibit information through their own cell phone.

Vi s i tor s to t he exhibit access the radio podcast and lea rn about the exhibit by one of three ways: by iPod Nano (available at

the front desk), by MP3 download (off our website to a personal device), or, instantly, by personal Smart phone. Visitors can use their cell phones to activate an audio podcast, or to access further web-based information about Richmond’s hi-tech history.

CJSF is SFU-Burnaby’s non-profit, non-commercial, volunteer-run station that strives to be a voice for minority issues and interests that are not represented in mainstream media. Volunteers gain free broadcasting experience by joining the Continued on Page 2

Richmond Museum pioneers new technology in “Cutting Edge” exhibit

INSIDE2: Celebrating Heritage Day Heritage Commission Notes3: The Tram Finds A Home Public Art Update IESCO Awards Britannia Walking Tour Doors Open Richmond 2011 4: Museum & Heritage Programs

Alex Tse, CJSF and Richmond Museum volunteer Photo: CJSF 90.1FM

2 City of Richmond Heritage News

Terra Nova Rural Park, cont’d

settlements, has views over the Sturgeon Banks to Vancouver Island. Tree-lined paths meander through historic build-ings and homesteads including the 1890 Parsons House with its heritage gardens and orchard, an Edwardian Cottage and the Mellis House (Cold Comfort Farm).

The park features native plantings, view-ing platforms, pathways, picnic areas, an inter-tidal slough, and a crab-apple ridge.

Called the “most innovative park in British Columbia” by the Union of BC Municipalities, Terra Nova Rural Park promotes urban agriculture through a popular demonstration farm centre that includes community gardens, a schoolyard garden, and a restored barn with a classroom and kitchen facilities for educational programs.

The sights, the salt tang of the Salish Sea and the sounds of wildlife create a memorable experience for residents and visitors who see heron, eagles, gulls, snow

geese, raccoons and coyotes – much the same as visitors saw a century ago.

The community has enthusiastically embraced the park, holding flower and vegetable seed sales, community pot luck dinners and courses on a range of topics.

The park has won numerous national and international awards - in 2007, a Union of BC Municipalities Com-munity Excellence Award, a Canadian Parks and Recreation Association Award of Excellence for Innovation, and an International Liveable Communities Award. In 2008, it won the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators Environmental Award.

Celebrating Heritage DayHeritage day is February 21. The theme – Heritage of Parks and Landscapes. It couldn’t be more fitting for Richmond.

For generations, City of Richmond parks have offered manicured gardens to appreciate, natural landscapes in which to walk and cycle, wildlife habitat, and heritage buildings to explore.

Richmond has more than 90 parks and gardens that total approximately 1,400 acres in area – all for our enjoyment.

Heritage abounds in these parks – the Chapel in Minoru Park, the Japanese Garden at Garry Point Park, homes of fishers and farmers at Terra Nova Park, buildings at Britannia Heritage Shipyard Park, London Farmhouse, the peat bog habitat at Richmond Nature Park, and the small Steveston Museum Park.

A vibrant 40k network of interconnected trails lead to many historical destinations.

Rest areas such as London’s Landing, and the piers at the south end of No. 3 Road, and No. 7 Road are popular wildlife view-ing sites for peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawk, river otters, seals and sea lions.

Richmond parks and trails incorporate heritage themes, with the goal of increas-ing awareness and appreciation of our unique natural and cultural heritage.

On Heritage Day – walk, jog, cycle or meander through our wonderful parks. The City has a searchable parks database with maps at www.richmond.ca

Chair, City of Richmond HeritageCommission

The Cutting Edge, cont’d from page 1

CJSF community. For more informa-tion and a volunteer orientation, visit www.cjsf.ca or email Alex at cjsfpr@sfu.ca.

The Cutting Edge: A History of Technol-ogy and Richmond, is a new exhibition about Richmond’s hi-tech companies and the industrial pioneers, past and present, who have led them. It’s a story of the effect of evolving technologies on our everyday lives as consumers, and takes us from Richmond’s small-town roots to the global technological gateway it is today. The exhibit features an array of objects on loan from some of Richmond’s most notable hi-tech companies. From satellite dishes, to a WWII aircraft engine and an automated YVR kiosk, there is much to learn about Richmond. The exhibit runs to June 16.

Richmond Heritage Commission NotesIn 2010, the Richmond Heritage Com-mission’s primary initiatives included:

• supporting and working with the Heritage Fair to enable this excep-tional heritage outreach to youth

• advising on the relocation of the historically significant Japanese Nurses residence to 12100 1st Ave. in Steveston

• liaising with consultant Sandra Moore MAIBC (Birmingham & Wood Architects/Planners), com-munity stakeholders, and city staff to develop and design a “home” for the Steveston Tram (Interurban Rail car 1220)

• reviewing conservation and inter-pretation plans for the designated woodlot on the former Samuel Brighouse estate.

Terra Nova farm remnant. Photo: Richmond Museum

Laurie Wozny Photo: Heritage Commission

3City of Richmond Heritage News

From the Community

A home for the Steveston Tram The Steveston Tram is getting a new home. “A new building for the interurban tram will ensure the preservation of the Richmond Museum’s largest artifact. It will also allow the community to access the tram and learn about the history of transportation in Richmond,” says Rich-mond Museum Curator Rebecca Forrest. The interurban rail car #1220, housed in Steveston Park, carried passengers from Vancouver to Steveston until 1958.

New near the OvalSight Works, a series of viewing platforms and seating integrated into the landscape along the Middle Arm Dyke Trail.

The Lulu Suite Project, a multi-media installation depicting Richmond’s his-tory, will soon be installed at the Oval.

Sight Work platform. Photo: Richmond Museum

Richmond wins IESCO award Richmond received the International Eco-Safety Demonstrative City award at the 2011 WORLD Eco-Safety Assembly in Cambodia. The other cities were Ranxia, China and Kansas City, USA.

Doors Open Richmond May 7-8, 2011Richmond’s arts, cultural and heritage celebration takes place May 7-8, 2011. Visitors will once again be able to create their own eventschedule with the help of a brochure map found at local facilities, on-line, or as a Richmond Review news-paper pullout. Since 2008, the event has annually generated up to 23,000 site visits throughout Richmond. The selection of up to 50 sites has always included places of worship, green spaces, art galleries and artists studios, historic sites, museums and other public and private Richmond organizations.

This year features ‘The Imaginary Enclave’, a unique gala event at the Cultural Centre. Performances, modelled after the innovative HIVE 3 Cultural Olympiad production in Vancouver, and local artists will collaborate with Cultural

Centre staff to provide five temporary performance ‘enclaves’. Short presenta-tions, on several heritage and cultural themes, will be repeated throughout the night in each enclave, allowing audiences to choose the sequence in which to view variety of experimental theatrical pieces. The Centre will become a social scene where audiences can share their experi-ences between presentations.

Volunteer &Sponsor Opportunities Doors Open Richmond presents opportunities for sponsorship, and gen-erates significant interest in Richmond’s

architecture, history, culture, urban design and art scene. It’s a unique way to identify your organization with the very best of Richmond’s arts, heritage and cultural life, and to broaden brand awareness of your organization with a growing audience.

Doors Open relies on the support of sponsors, partners and volunteers for its success. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact the Richmond Museum at 604 247-8333, or exhibits@richmond.ca. To volunteer, please visit https://icanhelp.richmond.ca

Steveston Tram. Photo: Richmond Museum

The IESCO directors “were impressed that about 50 per cent of Richmond is protected as farmland, parks, environ-mental reserves and other open space, which is rare in a modern city,” explained Dr. Chak Au, Richmond School District Trustee, who accepted the award on behalf of the City. “The IESCO directors have been watching Richmond with great interest since 2006,” he added.

New walking tour brochure

Murakami House Photo: Richmond Museum

Find Britannia Heritage Shipyard’s new walking tour brochure at www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/walking19072.pdf.

1. Ratsoy Car Collection 2. Model boat building at Britannia Heritage Shipyards, Photos: Richmond Museum 3. Lingyen Mountain Temple, Photo 3: Alen Bargen

4 City of Richmond Heritage News

City of Richmond6911 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2C1Tel: 604-276-4000www.richmond.ca

Mouth of the FraserNew! E-News EditionMouth of the Fraser, published three times a year, supports awareness, understanding and recognition of Heritage in Richmond. We are now electronic. To subscribe, send an email to: exhibits@richmond.ca

Contributors: Teresa Murphy, Laurie Wozny, Marie Anderson, Alex Tse, Peter Abrams, Emily So, Yvonne Stich, Brooke Lees, Gavin PowellContacts:

Terry Brunette Planner, Policy Planning City of Richmondtbrunette@richmond.ca

Peter Harris Exhibit & Program Coordinator Richmond Museum & Heritage Services, City of Richmond pharris@richmond.ca

Richmond Museumwww.richmondmuseum.ca

Heritage WeekRichmond’s Diverse Workplaces: Building On Our SuccessWed, Feb 23, 2011 9:00 a.m.–Noon Free

Richmond Museum, Richmond Multi-cultural Concerns Society, and Joy TV invite Richmond’s businesses, employees, and new Canadians to a free workshop to explore diversity in the workplace.

Darlene Gering, Burnaby Board of Trade’s President and CEO, will share successes and lessons learned from the Board’s innovative and widely acclaimed “Breaking Down the Barriers” project.

Hugo and Helmut Eppich, co-founders of the Ebco Group of Companies, will share their perspectives on the value of workplace diversity.

Share your experiences and ideas on this topic, facilitated through dynamic dialogue and theatre by Richmond in 3D.

Seating is limited. Register at exhibits@richmond.ca or phone 604.247.8333.

Heritage Trip – Richmond’s RootsSat, Noon - 4:00 p.m. Apr 9, Fee: $40

Discover Richmond’s fascinating roots. Guided tour itinerary includes Terra Nova Rural Park, Steveston Museum, Britannia Shipyard National Historic Site. Finish with tea and scones, London Heritage Farm. Register at 604 276-4300. Course #97751

Museum Exhibits at City HallFocus On The CameraJan 6 - Mar 30, 2011

Cameras from the Museum’s collection.

From The Kitchen To The TableApr 1 - Jul 6, 2011

Food is central to this display of kitchen artefacts from the Museum’s collection.

Britannia Heritage ShipyardsChinese Bunkhouse ExhibitOpens May 1, 2011

The upper floor of the Chinese bunkhouse has been transformed into the living quarters of the Chinese cannery workers. Interactive displays, rare photographs and short films bring the exhibit to life and provide visitors with a new perspective on life in Steveston in the early 20th century.

London Heritage Farmwww.londonheritagefarm.caLondon Heritage Farm’s 1880’s house is open Sat-Sun from 12:00pm-5pm. Phone 604-271-5220 to reserve a table.

St Patrick’s Day Tea Mar 12-13

Easter Tea & Annual Dahlia Bulb Sale Apr 23-24

Mother’s Day Tea Annual Plant Sale May 7-8

Museum & Heritage Programs

Young ‘curators’. Photos: Richmond Museum

Spring Break Camps at the Richmond Museum

Mon-Fri 9:00am-3:00pm Fee $16 Mar 21-25 Course #89555 (6-8 yrs) Mar 28-Apr 1 Course #89556 (9-12 yrs)

Children create a mini museum exhibit that tells a story about Richmond. Each camp features a behind-the-scenes peek at what goes on at the Museum and a field trip to Delta Museum. Participants learn how an exhibit comes together, and then create a mini exhibit for public display. Space is limited. Register at www.richmond.ca or 604.247.8300.