Welcome to our Hatzic Valley Community Association site formly known as Hatzic Prairie, Durieu, McConnell Creek Ratepayers Association.
Our Community group is dedicated to preservation and enjoyment of country/rural lifestyle.
The members seek to ensure representation of the various interests and long-term goals of residents to promote and to achieve a healthy environment in our community.
The focus of the Hatzic Valley Community Association is for enabling community sustainability of:
• a quiet, peaceful rural life
• a connection to our natural surroundings of nature
• to protect our rich environment of flora, fauna, bird life, amphibians, fish, endangered species
• to have clean and abundant water resources [aquifers, watercourses]
• to preserve our rural and agriculture roots
• to protect the unique landscape of the Hatzic Valley
The Hatzic Valley is a narrow horseshoe valley about 5 miles wide, just east of Mission, behind Hatzic Lake, British Columbia. It is a beautiful area of rugged mountains, forests, abundant streams, and agriculture prairie.
The Hatzic Valley is part of the Traditional Territory of the Stó:lō Nation, the People of the River. Archaeological evidence from Xá:ytem is physical testimony of the long term presence of the Stó:lō.
European Missionaries and Settlers arrived in the Hatzic Valley in the 1800's. Farmers began to work the rich land of the Hatzic Prairie. Settlement expanded with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885 and with the opening of the bridge across the Fraser River in 1891. Japanese arrived in the Hatzic Valley in the early 1900's and by the end of the 1930's they owned most of the berry producing farms. They were forced to internment camps in 1942 and their farmland confiscated from them. Agriculture continues to this day in the Hatzic Valley.
People visit the Hatzic Valley from all over the Lower Mainland to enjoy paragliding, the lakes, trails, parks, and forestry access. Our Hatzic Valley is one of the favourite cyclist training and racing circuits for cyclists in the Vancouver area.
The Hatzic Valley is the hub of the community rural settlement of about a population of two thousand [2010] in the areas of Hatzic Prairie, Durieu, and McConnell Creek [now called Cascade Creek].
The view of Hatzic Valley from Lougheed Highway looking north is "awe-inspiring!" Turn yourself south and just over the train tracks is the mighty Fraser River.
Our Hatzic Valley Community Association area starts from North of Hatzic Lake with Sylvester Road on the East mountainside and Farms Road and Stave Lake Road on the Valley's West mountainside. This area of Mission is "ELECTORAL AREA F" of the Fraser Valley Regional District. "Area F " encompasses Stave Lake to the North of Hatzic Valley and Pitt Lake to the North West Federal Crown Land. On the East side of Stave Lake is a small (leased crown land cabin owners) settlement by Lost Creek. Many Fisheries and Oceans Canada declared Threatened and Endangered creeks and streams flow into either Hatzic Lake at the south end of the Valley or Stave Lake, eventually emptying into the Fraser River.
 |
| Hatzic Prairie to Stave Lake with McConnell Creek: June, 1995 |
 |
| Hatzic Valley: Photo by Rob Samplonius |
