Maple Ridge, British Columbia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Maple Ridge, British Columbia | |
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| Motto: "Rivers of bounty, Peaks of gold" | |
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| Country | Canada |
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| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional District | Metro Vancouver |
| Incorporated | 1874 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Gord Robson |
| Area | |
| - Total | 265.79 km² (102.6 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - Total | 68,949 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| Postal code span | V2X,V2W,V3Z,V4R |
| Area code(s) | 604, 778 |
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| Website: District of Maple Ridge | |
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located east of Vancouver on the Fraser River. It is a member of the Greater Vancouver Regional District and has a population of approximately 73,000.
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[edit] History
The District of Maple Ridge was incorporated September 12, 1874, it covered an area of 33,000 acres (130 km²) yet only had approximately 50 families living in the town. Maple Ridge is British Columbia's sixth-oldest municipality (after New Westminster, Victoria, Langley, Lake Cowichan, and Chilliwack).
[edit] Communities
Maple Ridge is made up of several different historical areas, they are;
- Haney
- Albion
- Port Hammond
- Whonnock
- Webster's Corners
- Ruskin
- Iron Mountain
- Yennadon
- Silver Valley
- Thornhill
- Kanaka Creek
These areas are represented by a cultural group. For instance, Webster's Corner and Albion are represented by the many Finnish families that settled in the area. While Port Hammond is known for its small cottage like mill houses originally built by the local mill to house its workers.
[edit] Recent growth
In the past 20 years, Maple Ridge has grown very rapidly, with a 12.5% population increase between the 1996 and 2001 censuses. The construction of new residential subdivisions has threatened many sensitive wildlife habitats as well as the District's limited agricultural land. About two-thirds of those who work outside the home commute into other suburbs or downtown Vancouver. Highlighting the trend towards a more urban attitude, Maple Ridge joined the GVRD in 1995, having historically been a member of the largely rural FVRD. The recently-started construction of the Golden Ears Bridge and the announced new high level Pitt River bridge span also signals growth. The prices of housing in Maple Ridge is expected to rise significantly when the Golden Ears Bridge is completed.
[edit] Industry
The early settlers in Maple Ridge engaged in forestry and agriculture. Forestry companies continue to be the largest private-sector employers in the district. They include Interfor and companies that manufacture building materials, yachts and poles. The soil and climate are not well-suited to the production of traditional food crops, but the Maple Ridge agriculture sector generates upwards of $40 million annually (2001), largely from berry crops, nurseries and horse breeding.[citation needed] The biggest challenge for the district is to attract commercial and industrial investment while trying to preserve the "close to nature" feel that is Maple Ridge's biggest asset.[citation needed]
[edit] Demographics
Demographics according to Statistics Canada 2006 census.
- Population: 68,949
- 2001 to 2006 population change (%) : 9.2%
- Area: 265.79 km² (102.62 sq mi).
- Density: 259.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (671.8/sq mi).
- Location:
[edit] Education
Public schools are administered by School District 42 Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. Meadowridge School, a K-12 independent school, is located in Maple Ridge. A public technological school called Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary School opened in 2005. Samuel Robertson offers more technical courses than any other school in the district. Thomas Haney Secondary School, home of the Thomas Haney Thunder, is also one of Canada's only Self Directed Schools. Maple Ridge is also home to Kanaka Creek Elementary School, a year round modelled school.
Maple Ridge has five secondary schools, including the aforementioned Thomas Haney Secondary and Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary. The other high schools in Maple Ridge are Westview Secondary School, Maple Ridge Secondary, and Garibaldi Secondary School. Maple Ridge is also home to District 42 Alternative Secondary School.
[edit] Sports
Maple Ridge is known for being the hometown of several high-profile athletes, such as baseball player Larry Walker, deceased race-car driver Greg Moore, and hockey players Cam Neely, Brendan Morrison and Andrew Ladd. These professional athletes are the product of very well organized youth sports programs, including a baseball program which has produced three Midget AAA Western Canadian Championship teams since 2001, including back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002.
[edit] Theatre
The ACT Theatre is located in the downtown core of Maple Ridge, and is home to such groups as The Millennium Players and Emerald Pig. It is a non-profit public resource serving the artistic and cultural needs of the diverse audiences in the communities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. Offering a wide range of activities including live music, theatre, classes, workshops and events, The ACT houses the Maple Ridge Art Gallery.
[edit] Notable people from Maple Ridge
- Brent Hayden, swimmer, won gold medal at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships[citation needed]
- Andrew Ladd, NHL hockey player for the Carolina Hurricanes, won the Stanley Cup in 2006[citation needed]
- Greg Moore, race-winning Champ Car driver, formerly of Forsythe Racing[citation needed]
- Robert Mundell, Nobel Prize-winning economist[citation needed]
- Helen Mussallem, nurse, awarded Companion of the Order of Canada[citation needed]
- Cam Neely, NHL hockey player for the Boston Bruins, elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005[citation needed]
- Christopher Paul Neil, accused pedophile, subject of a worldwide manhunt in October 2007[citation needed]
- Molly Parker, Genie Award-winning actress[citation needed]
- Aaron Pritchett, CCMA award-winning country music artist[citation needed]
- Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu, domestic murder victim, subject of documentaries and a made-for-television movie[citation needed]
- Larry Walker, All-Star Major League Baseball player, formerly of the Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, and Montreal Expos[citation needed]
- Linda Chung, actor in TVB, singer, 2004 Miss Chinese International Pageant winner[citation needed]
- Chris Rolin, award-winning guitarist and musician[citation needed]
Melanie Dodds-World Class Swimmer
- Emma Udell, Actress
- NOVA, Victim of a tragic tank accident
[edit] Surrounding municipalities
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Pinecone Burke Provincial Park | Golden Ears Provincial Park | Fraser Valley Electoral District F |
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| Pitt Meadows |  |
Mission | |||||
 Maple Ridge  |
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| Barnston Island, Surrey | Langley Township | Abbotsford |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- District of Maple Ridge Local government home page
- History of Maple Ridge A variety of information on the history of Maple Ridge, including historical images, information on heritage buildings, and more.
- History of Maple Ridge on the towns website.
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