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Thanks to those who save Maple Ridge history

Heritage awards given out this week
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Greta Borick-Cunningham in upper hatchery at Allco Park. (THE NEWS/files)

The people who are preserving and telling Maple Ridge’s history are getting accolades and awards this Thursday at the Heritage Awards.

At the top of the listis a large group that’s been helping conserve the city’s natural heritage for decades.

The Fraser Regional Correctional Centre will be receiving the Stewardship of a Community Cultural Asset award for its role in the Allco Community Fish Hatchery.

That started in the 1970s, when correctional officer Jim Jose decided that corrections and inmates and the community could benefit by building a hatchery.

Currently, inmates provide 21,000 man-hours a year to keep the hatchery running year-round.

The co-winner in the same category is the Maple Ridge Garden Club, the largest of all those registered with the B.C. Council of Gardeners.

The club is also marking its 70th anniversary this year and its goal is to help educate and beautify Maple Ridge.

Winning the award for Heritage Building are Debra and Ron Gordon, who’ve restored the former Hammond Cedar Company residence. The couple bought their property at 11415 – 205th St. in 1989 and began renovating it soon after, while preserving the architectural heritage.

The Haney Horsemen Association, which has built more than a 100 kilometres of horse trails throughout Maple Ridge, is receiving the Natural Heritage Resource award. The volunteer group has been working for 50 years to improve and develop hiking and horse trails.

Haney Horsemen founder Bill Archibald will receive a special tribute that night. Dave Smith’s work was also critical to developing the network of trails in the Thorhnill area.

The Maple Ridge History Family Group also received the History and Heritage Research and Publication Award for its work in marking graves of First World War veterans.

• Maple Ridge’s community heritage commission judged the awards which will be handed out at St. Andrew’s Church on 116th Avenue and 222nd Street, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. Everyone’s welcome but RSVP to abowden@mapleridge.ca.

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Haney Horsemen Association up for heritage award. (THE NEWS/files)