Heritage Designations Approved

By 250 News

Nechako River crossings  are now in the Heritage Registry for Prince George (images courtesy Heritage Commission Report)    

Five sites in Prince George have now been added to the Heritage Registry.  The  sites  and some of the  Heritage Commission’s reasons  for  adding the site to the  registry are as follows:

Cameron Street Bridge,  "The crossing was a vital part of the development of the north side of the Fraser River and the community of Central Fort George on the south side. It connected that community with the very important trading and freighting routes on the Crooked River and Parsnip River to the Findlay River and the Peace River District."

Nechako River Crossing,  "The location of the crossings was an integral part of the community of Central Fort George and George Hammond was very significant in placing the crossing in that area. He founded the Hammond Sawmills located at the original ferry crossing and was a tireless promoter and significant leader in Central Fort George. The crossing was a vital part of the development of the north side of the Fraser River and the community of Central Fort George on the south side. It connected that community with the very important trading and freighting routes on the Crooked River and Parsnip River to the Findlay River and the Peace River District. There was immense competition for population, prestige and power between Central Fort George, South Fort George and later Prince George. Transportation was one of the key battlefields with Prince George ultimately prevailing with the coming of the railroad. With the demise of the paddle wheelers the crossing became even more important to transport goods and services to and from the railroad. It was the main Nechako River crossing until the construction of the John Hart Bridge in 1961."

South Fort George School house:   "The School House is significant because it is the first school building is South Fort George and the first in this section of BC. The 1910 Fort George Herald best describes its importance to the development of the city when it published the following “The advent of this school provides one more primal necessities of a young city. Without education advantages for children surely no town can be considered to be worthy of the name, and the fact that South Fort George now boasts of a school which is well attended and admirably presided over both by the principal and board of trustees, gives this place a vastly added importance in the estimation of those families which are settling here, and of many more to come.”

The Old Liquor store on 6th Avenue and the  Old Post Office on Third Avenue were also added to the registry. The two  are already protected by site specific  bylaws.

Heritage Commission Chair, Joe Graber,  says the designation simply means future planning, or changes  to the specific areas or sites, would need special consideration to preserve the area or building.

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