The History

The rebirth of a way of life on the waterfront

Southeast Vancouver’s past is closely tied to its waterfront. The natural abundance of the river and surrounding pasture brought fishers and farmers. Soon a township sprang up around a growing lumber industry. Eventually, great sawmills— The Dominion, The Canadian White Pine— lined the riverbanks, connected by sea to the wider world, as thousands of workers earned their living here. River District is set to revive the community’s connection with the river as homes, restaurants, shops and community buildings bring new life to the waterfront.

In pre-history, this flatland by the river was the home of bear, cougar and elk. Natural pastureland and coniferous forest stretched all the way to the sea.

1000 BC -1808
The Musqueam First Nation came to the area, drawn by the salmon fishery.
The Musqueam take their name from the m-uh-the-kwi (River Grass) on the banks of the Fraser.

1808
Simon Fraser traces the Fraser from its source to the Pacific. The river’s importance grows in the life of the new colonists from Great Britain.
The Fraser River is named in honour of the Scottish explorer Simon Fraser by his colleague Thompson.

1868
Soldier William Rowling of the Engineers of the Boundary Commission is granted District Lot 268, which includes River District and land stretching as far as modern-day Killarney.
The area develops as rich agricultural land, including the Rowlings’ cow pasture. Fraserview was originally known as ‘Rowling Heights’.

1910
A large sawmill begins to take shape at the foot of Boundary Road. Owned by Julius Bloedel of Seattle, it is the first in Canada to produce pressure-treated wood.
Pressure-treated wood is ideal for construction and railway ties because it last longer and requires less maintenance.

1926
HR MacMillan opens the Canadian White Pine Mill next to the Dominion Mill.
The Dominion Mill saws over 200,000 feet (almost 38 miles) of timber per day.

1935
HR MacMillan buys the Dominion for $75,000.

1937
The original Canadian White Pine Mill burns down in a massive fire.

1939
Mill is rebuilt, becoming B Mill. The Dominion is called A Mill.
The mills become unionized in 1939 by the International Woodworkers Association (IWA).

1944
MacMillan Bloedel builds a new mill— C Mill.

1945
Returning from WWII, veterans Victoria-Fraserview are promised new homes. 1100 new homes are built in Victoria-Fraserview and Sunset.
Mill workers strike successfully for a 40-hour working week and a raise of 15¢ per hour in 1946.

1950
The first swing shift at the Canadian White Pine sees the mill working through the night.

1952
The original Dominion Mill, known as A, closes.

1959
The remaining mills are combined into a single mill.

1968
The mill now processes Sitka Spruce, Hemlock and Western Red Cedar, as well as White Pine.

1982
The mill shuts down, laying off all 700 workers.

1983
The mill reopens but never again employs more than 500 workers.

1987
The old Kerr Road Dump is rededicated as Everett Crowley Park.

1999
Canadian White Pine Mill is taken over by Weyerhaeuser USA.

2001
Weyerhaeuser closes the mill. Most of the equipment and buildings are sold to a mill in New Zealand.

2003
ParkLane purchases the site. Environmental remediation begins to prepare the land for housing and to re-establish wildlife habitats.

2010
Ground is broken for the first time on-site in August.
Construction of the River District Centre and Neighbourhood Restaurant begins on site in November 2010.

2011
The Centre and Restaurant open in May 2011.