Once again it is time to announce the set of free public walking tours we offer each year.
This particular set will touch on a number of anniversaries that are occurring in New Westminster in 2012.
A major anniversary this year is that of the Royal Columbian Hospital, marking 150 years of medical service to the community and the province, first at a location at Fourth and Agnes streets, and then at its present Sapperton site.
Two tours will centre directly on the hospital's history with connections to a variety of people and their stories. These tours will occur Aug. 12 and Sept. 9 at the Fraser and St. Peter's Cemeteries.
One of these hospital themed walks will feature stories that are interesting, intriguing or curious, and will combine current research with favourites from the past.
The second walk will link directly to the institution through doctors, nurses, staff and the two hospital sites.
There are so many tales to tell that the challenge here has been to make an appealing 150th anniversary selection.
Two other walks will also include some hospital information, but the tours themselves have a different focus. With so many new features in the Sapperton neighbourhood these days, we will walk East Columbia Street to see what is happening and what stories connect with the history of the area.
Both tours start at Sapperton Park. One on May 6 will go south towards the Brunette Avenue intersection, while the second, on July 15, will go north towards the Braid Street intersection.
These walks will include such items as a brewery, soda water factory, orphanage, homes of two major politicians, a theatre, bowling alley, some churches and favourite cafés, as well as Royal Columbian Hospital and Sapperton Park itself. This part of the city is filled with interesting historical connections.
The Freemasons of New Westminster are also celebrating 150 years in the city, and we will honour that with two walks - one downtown to see their lodge sites, and another in the old Masonic cemetery, now part of Fraser Cemetery. The downtown walk on June 3 will tell stories of buildings, lodge locations, and cornerstone ceremonies, while the cemetery tour on June 24 will introduce many early Masons and describe the original burial ground layout.
One other tour, on April 15, will walk the Queen's Park Millennium Trail to see historical connections by looking both into the park and out from it. The story list will include exhibition buildings, a typhoon, a sleigh riding hill, a brickyard, an old bridge, a small zoo, military references, sports venues, a centennial commemoration and lots more.
Check the website at www.nwheritage.org regularly for dates and details of all the tours.
There will be separate announcements for each tour - and remember, as you have heard us say for many years, combining a walk with some history is very good for body and soul.
