A 108-year-old house in Chilliwack has been designated a heritage home by Chilliwack city council.
The so-called ‘Hazel House’ was granted the heritage designation back in Sept. 21 but between of COVID-19 protocols and the atmospheric rivers in November, the plaque presentation was held last week.
Mayor Ken Popove was with Coun. Sue Knott, Coun. Harv Westeringh and the homes owners, Minke and Gerald Timmerman, for a plaque presentation on April 20.
Hazel House is a one-and-a-half storey, wood-frame front-gabled house with a side-gabled one-storey extension located at the north end of Hazel Street. Situated in its original location set back from the street, Hazel House has had continuous residential use since its construction in 1914, and it features architectural elements associated with the Arts and Craft (or Craftsman) style.
Some of these features include the prominent low-pitched front-gabled roof with deep eaves, knee-brackets, tongue-and-groove soffits, and exposed rafter tails; wood lap siding; cedar shingles on the front gable with a flared bottom row; the original window openings with wood trim and projecting sills; and the end-wall chimney on the south elevation.
“It is a pleasure to be a part of the preservation of this part of Chilliwack’s history,” Mayor Popove said in a press release. “Hazel House is a good example of our past and we appreciate the current owners’ commitment to maintaining the historical qualities of this property.”
Hazel House holds historical value for its association with a thriving farming industry in the early 20th century, according to the press release.
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When the B.C. Electric Railway completed the interurban railway line from Vancouver to Chilliwack in 1910, it allowed New Westminster and Vancouver markets to reach Fraser Valley farmers.
All heritage applications are substantiated by a report from a qualified heritage consultant prior to city council adoption. The heritage designation and plaque presentation for the Hazel House support the city’s official community plan goal to foster a greater public awareness and appreciation about Chilliwack’s history and cultural heritage.
Under the city’s heritage designation policy, the Hazel House will be preserved for generations to come by the municipal heritage designation bylaw.
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