Maple Ridge could be bolstering its heritage register by adding seven historic properties, most of which are household names.
The Billy Miner Pub, formerly the Bank of Montreal on River Road, and the neighbouring former post office, now the Pizza Cafe next door, are the two best-known properties up for adding to the register.
But the old Turnhock/Morse home, on 223rd Street, across from Anita Place Tent City and currently undergoing a major renovation as part of a heritage agreement with the city, is almost as well known and is also on the list that was proposed by the community heritage commission to council at its Tuesday workshop.
In return for preserving and restoring the Turnhock/Morse house, the developer will be able to build an adjoining apartment building, using two other adjacent lots.
The Beeton/Daykin residence on York Street and Dewdney Trunk Road, now converted to two new duplexes as part of another heritage agreement, is also proposed for the heritage register. The home was renovated long after the property was no longer owned by the Daykin family, which sold the house in 1971. Ernie Daykin is a former mayor of Maple Ridge.
The old Whitehead property in Hammond includes two houses, one of which is also known as the Hammond Forever Home and the details of its restoration have been chronicled by the current owners James Rowley and Leanne Koehn
Jackson Farm, a formerly controversial chunk of land, is also up for being added to the register. It was added to the city’s parkland designation in 2010, according to a staff report.
Before any plan is made for the farm property, public consultation must take place.
The old Mussallem house, now in its new location of Maple Ridge Cemetery, donated by B.C. Housing after being moved from its original location on Royal Crescent (now the site of 53 units of modular housing), is also on the list for adding to the heritage register.
In east Maple Ridge, the Miller residence in Ruskin is also being proposed for the heritage register.
The expansion of the city’s heritage register follows a similar previous process done in 2018 for the city’s community heritage inventory, which includes a larger list of properties.
But having a property added to the city’s heritage register doesn’t give it any special status or affect the current property owner.
“There’s no legal protection that goes along with this category,” said city planner Amelia Bowden.
However, being added to the register allows it to be considered for heritage programs and for certain provisions under the B.C. Building Code.
Only if a property receives heritage designation can it be protected from demolition with any changes requiring council approval.
Currently, there are 28 properties on Maple Ridge’s heritage register, meaning the additions will grow the list by 25 per cent.
Council, at its workshop meeting last week, approved sending the proposed additions on to its Feb. 12 meeting for a vote.