salishan Place by the River, a $28 million project started 5 years ago, is getting closer to opening. Construction deficiencies delayed the original plans, but Township of Langley now has keys in hand. In the first week of January museum docents and other volunteers toured the 36,000 square foot facility that sprawls across three floors in Fort Langley. The first occupant will be the Fraser Valley Regional Library branch which hopes to open sometime in February.
The museum staff will soon begin moving the collection into the new facility, and work will commence on exhibit themes and design, integrating settler and Indigenous history.
The main floor features the FVR library, a large permanent exhibition space and a classroom for schools programming (sponsored by the Langley Heritage Society). The second floor includes a large temporary exhibition space, impressive storage area for artifacts, a public research area, printing workshop and more classroom space. The 3rd floor has a banquet room, large kitchen, a rooftop exterior patio, and a 177 seat theatre.
Public tours are coming soon; development of the space will be a work in progress for possibly up to a year. Good luck to the eager staff members and volunteers as the final stage of this exciting project begins!
Main exhibition hall on the first floor. Four copper house posts will be added to the pillars, representing local Indigenous peoples: Kwantlen, Katzie, Matsqui and Semiahmoo. Windows have been treated to reduce harmful rays.
This motif represents the back of an Indigenous drum and appears in the floor in various places. The drum is
the heartbeat.
The large collections area on the second floor will include public access for on-site research.
Third floor banquet hall. An outdoor plaza area is accessed from here as well. This space will be available for rental, as will the theatre beside it.
The third floor theatre can accommodate 177 people for music and lectures.
