Community Initiatives

Abbotsford Cultural Centre Update - News Release issued by Jay Teichroeb, Economic Development Manager for the City of Abbotsford:

Design of the New Cultural Centre Finalized - Unanimously Endorsed by the Arts and Heritage Steering Committee
After several months of consultation with community groups, citizens and arts and museum representatives, the Arts and Heritage Steering Committee, which has been a deciding force behind the creation of the City's new Cultural Centre, has signed off on the final design prepared by the architects, Hughes Condon Marler and given the go ahead to break ground.

The design was revised based on input from the public open houses, meetings with City staff and representatives and staff from the museum society and arts council.  The final design includes increased storage and archive space, improved visitor circulation and reconfigured exhibit space that allows for greater separation of the art and museum space.  The final design was unanimously approved by all members of the Arts and Heritage Steering Committee.

"The Arts and Heritage Advisory Committee has been closely involved in the interior design of the cultural centre.  Several meetings have been held with the architects and on the advice of the MSA Museum Society, the Abbotsford Arts Council and several other stakeholders, changes have been incorporated into the final design that will enhance the functionality of the centre.  Once completed, I believe the new cultural centre will be a centre piece of Civic Plaza and the conernstone for the construciton of additional arts and heritage related facilities in the future," says Milt Walker, Chair of the Steering Committee.

The Arts & Heritage Steering Committee is made up of community members and represents a cross section of arts and museum members.  A sub-committee, of Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission, the group has made the majority of recommendations and fine-tuing of the design and exhibit space for the new cultural centre.  The commitee has been working closely with the building's architects for the last several months.  The initial conception of the cultural centre was a direct result of the committee's 2006 program study and business plan.

"I would like to thank all of the volunteers on the Arts & Heritage Steering Committee that worked tirelessly over the last few months to perfect the design of the building.  Their input will greatly enhance the usability of the space," says George F. Ferguson, Abbotsford Mayor.

Key features of the 20,000 square foot facility are 6,000 square feet of exhibit space, a state-of-the art environmentally controlled heating and ventilation system, climate controlled archive space, two program studios and permanent and rotating exhibit space for both museum and art presentations.  Planning is currently underway for the facility's first exhibits.  Construction of the Cultural Centre will begin in early June.  For more information contact: 604 864-5586 or jteichroeb@abbotsford.ca



Abbotsford Regional Hospital & Cancer Centre - Project Overview: www.abbotsfordhospitalandcancercentre.ca
The Abbotsford Hospital and Cancer Centre is planned as a state-of-the-art 300-bed replacement for the aging MSA acute care hospital in Abbotsford, and will provide enhanced and specialized health services to more than 150,000 people in the greater Abbotsford area, and up to 330,000 in the Fraser Valley region. The facility will be three times the size of the current MSA hospital, measuring approximately 60,000 square metres.

The hospital will integrate a new cancer treatment centre that will be part of the provincial network operated by the BC Cancer Agency. The Cancer Centre in Abbotsford will provide specialized cancer services including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgical oncology, clinical trials, and supportive care, such as patient and family counseling, nutritional assessment, pain and symptom management and palliative care. Residents in the Fraser Valley currently have to drive elsewhere to access this care.

Mt. Lehman Exchange:  www.abbotsford.ca
The City of Abbotsford and the Ministry of Transportation have worked together as partners since 1999 to secure funding and develop the project to improve the Mt. Lehman Interchange. The City of Abbotsford is now home to 128,000 citizens and the area has seen tremendous commercial and residential development, particularly in the western region of the municipality. Growth of the Abbotsford International Airport and the Clearbrook Industrial Area have put additional pressure on the interchange and surrounding network of roads. Over 46,000 vehicles per day use this key interchange – the meeting point of traffic from Highway 1, Fraser Highway and the Abbotsford International Airport.

Project improvements include a full reconstruction of the interchange, upgrading of the Mt. Lehman/Fraser Highway intersection, a new arterial road connecting Fraser Highway with Old Yale Road (at Blue Jay Street) and improved access to and from Highway 1.