Abbotsford Movers
Service Overview
The Promised Land
When surveyor John Cunningham Maclure, among those sent by the Crown in the late 1850s to establish Canada’s border with the United States, first laid eyes on the Matsqui Prairie, he reportedly said, “This is the promised land.” Not surprisingly, McClure was one of the first to take the Crown up on its land grant offers and settle here. What could possibly top moving to the promised land? Long-time Abbotsford moving company, Kary Movers, have repeatedly responded to the moving needs of those who have answered that question sensibly. What about you? If you’re not sure whether you’re feeling the call to move to the promised land, read on!
A Diverse “City in the Country”
Abbotsford likes to be known as “The City in the Country.” It’s a title that fits. The urban and rural mix as well as cultural and artistic diversity is reflected in at least 60 works of public art in the form of benches, murals and sculptures throughout the city. These colourful works celebrate the ideas, events and the heritage of Abbotsford, the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia.
Amongst Abbotsford’s current population of over 133,000 people, is the third highest proportion of visible minorities within metropolitan Areas in Canada. Prominent among them are Sikhs, whose rich history has been interwoven with the agriculture and lumber industries since the first arrival of Sikh pioneers in 1905. The first gurdwara (temple), built in 1911, is the oldest existing Sikh temple in North America and a National Historic Site Canada. At the time of the gurdwara construction, many Sikhs were employed at the Abbotsford Lumber Company mill. The owner, lumber baron J.O. Tretheway, donated lumber for the temple.
Trees and Trains
The legacy of the Tretheway family is also preserved at Trethewey House. A vist there will give an up-close sense of the vital role played by the Tretheways and the lumber industry in the making of Abbotsford. The grand residence was built in 1920 with the highest quality fir lumber produced at the family’s Abbotsford Lumber Company mill. The bricks used in the chimneys and fireplaces are part of Abbotsford-area history, too, made with clay mined on nearby Sumas Mountain and processed at B.C’s first company town, Clayburn Village.
As with many Canadian centres, the existence of a railway helped spur Abbotsford’s initial growth. The Canadian Pacific Railway was granted the right of way through one of the first large private land grants in the area. The condition was that it had to build a station there, and so it did. As a recent land grant recipient, John Cunningham Maclure had a hand in that and thus helped ensure that a town centre grew around the station. Other railways quickly ran lines through Abbotsford. Easy access to the Fraser River spurred commercial development and population growth.
The sound of trains is accompanied by the roar of jet engines every August, when Canada’s largest airshow shakes the blueberries off their bushes. The Abbotsford International Airshow also has the distinction of being official designated as Canada’s National Airshow. The show regularly features both military and civilian aircraft from around the world and draws crowds of over 125,000 on average, making it the largest air show on the West Coast of North America.
Never Far From the Barn Door
In this City in the Country, agriculture is never far from one’s mind or view. Indeed, the Agrifair and Berry Festivals are annual reminders that Abby’s agricultural roots are still bearing fruit. That fruit has more of diverse feel as each new year comes around. In fact, the Berry Festival has added a beat in recent years and evolved into the Berrybeat Festival. Along with homegrown family-friendly fun provided by farmers and downtown shop-keepers alike, the festival has in recent years taken on a music beat with a diversity of sounds from around the world.
Downtown and Neighbourhoods: Charm and Beauty
Whether it’s festival time or not, Historic Downtown Abbotsford is a charm! Visitors can enjoy retail boutiques, vintage stores, bistros and plenty of shops, many featuring handpicked and handcrafted goodies and treasures for sale. While downtown is the retail hub of Abbotsford, the city itself is the main retail hub of the Fraser Valley and the neighbourhoods and communities that sprawl out from it.
Abbotsford offers a beautiful backdrop to your lifestyle, whether it’s vibrant or more relaxed. The constant beauty of the mountains to the North and East is easy enjoyed from any one of the mixture of well-planned urban communities like Clearbrook, Glenn Mountain and Townline Hill, or from more rural areas such as Bradner, Matsqui Village, Clayburn, Barrowtown, and Huntingdon.
Your Share in The Promised Land
Remember, we’re talking about the promised land here, so when it comes to moving to Abbotsford, it’s a smart move to trust your move to a company that promises you accountability for everything they do. Kary Movers is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau. Clean-cut employees (with excellent moving experience) will take good care of you and your belongings. They’re also covered by WCB. Ready to move to the City in the Country? Kary Movers would love to make it happen. Call us at 604-687-1746 or request a quote on our website.