New Westminster 12th Street Festival

Earlier this month we set out to discover more about New Westminster. We read in the local paper New Westminster NEWSLeader, about the 12th street festival.

On what proved to be one of the hottest days of the year we walked through New Westminster, a little out of the way because of a little map reading mix up, but after about 45 minutes we arrived on 12th street.

12th Street has recently been going through some much needed updates. The sidewalks have been widened and new trees planted. A collaboration between artists and New Westminster Parks and Recreation has developed a project to display two mosaics in the sidewalk to celebrate the neighbourhood and the cities 150th birthday.

While at the festival we listened to some local musicians, ate a snow cone and looked at some classic cars, very New Westminster! We also entered a draw for some great prizes!

It was a fine introduction to this area of town.

In a great twist of fate we won two of the top prizes!

A huge gift basket (donated by a local real estate agent) and an acoustic guitar and stand!
We feel very fortunate, who would have thought it?

Welcome Home!

Above, a photo of East Columbia street, main street of Sapperton, B.C. (1932 and 2008)

My family, my husband, son, daughter and myself, have just moved to Sapperton, B.C.

I was born here 34 years ago. However my family moved away before I was a year old, now for the first time I live just blocks away from where I was born, literally the hospital is two blocks away. We recently moved from downtown Vancouver. It is quite different here, quieter, and with quite a different view!

Sapperton is the oldest city in B.C. it is part of New Westminster, "The Royal City", which was named by Queen Victoria. New Westminster is regarded as a historically significant city in the history of British Columbia. It was the first capital of B.C. because of it's proximity to the Fraser river , the rich history of the Royal Engineers (commonly called Sappers) and it was a major outfitter for prospectors in the Fraser gold rush in the mid 1800's.

I am very excited to be back home so to speak, and to discover the history of this city and of this beautiful province I was born in and call home! I will be writing about life by the river as we visit local landmarks and events in town.