2. Welcome to Agassiz, BC.
Part of the District of Kent, Agassiz is
a small rural town nestled in the upper
Fraser Valley, northeast of Chilliwack
and right next to Harrison Hot Springs, BC.
Harrison Hot Springs is a connected,
sister community to Agassiz.
4. Harrison is a large tourist
attraction in BC (with many
lakes and outdoor activities
as well as site seeing), which
enables Agassiz to get more
exposure, especially during the
summer months.
Many of Agassiz’s and Harrison’s
services are combined.
5. A taste of Agassiz’s community history...
Agassiz began as a small settler community after the mid 1800’s Gold Rush brought many new settlers into BC.
The first families to discover and settle in the Agassiz area were the famous Agassiz family and T.B. Hicks.
The first commerce took place between the Hudson’s Bay Company and the local Salish natives (Sto:Lo) along
the Fraser River. Soon many more people moved in and the Fraser River remained the community’s lifeline for
trade and commerce.
Interestingly, one of the first five agricultural research centre farms in Canada was established in Agassiz in 1889, and is
now the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre. The facility was created to assist new settlers in familiarizing with the
unfamiliar habitat. With the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway train and the establishment of the District of Kent
In the late nineteenth century, Agassiz became a new prospering community.
Agassiz became known as the “Corn Capital of British Columbia” after the great Fraser River Flood of 1948 wiped out the
region’s hop crops and corn became the new major crop in Agassiz.
7. Services within the community
Better Beginnings
Parenting Programs RCMP- The Royal Canadian-
The Family Place Mounted Police
Family Support/Youth Outreach Ambulance Service
Youth Inclusion Programs Agassiz FireDepartment
Emergency Food Bank Search & Rescue
Employment Services Health Services
Substance Misuse Services Veterinary Services
Thrift Store Kent-Harrison Community-
Senior Peer Counsellors Disaster Assistance Program
Friendly Phone Program Post Office
CALL Program (Community Adult Literacy & Learning) Community Library
English Conversation Circle Municipal Hall
English as a Second Language Settlement Assistance Program Community Newspaper
(ESL-SAP)
10. Voices Within the Community
-What ! " p#mary function of " community? -Well-establ!hed, .rong community
Ag#cultural, logging, small business -I volunteer at " senior’s residence and help at " schools
-+ere ! an emphas! on " a-s
in Har#son, which benefits " community!
-What are y'r likes/(slikes of " community?
-Community members .rongly involved /connectedness
F#endly, rural, community o#ented
-I am 33 years old, born and ra!ed in Agassiz, my fa)er was a cu.o(an, my mo)er a hair salon o/er
-Likes: f#endly, know everyone, safe
D!likes: know everyone, not a lot of activities
-Our entire family has done a lot of voluntee#ng
-More services needed for y')
wi) Agassiz Har#son Aquanauts Swim Club,
-Need more activities for families
Annual Music Festival, tree planting, nursing #vers, etc.
-+ere are a lot of community events via " local fitness
and recreational dept., +e Lions Club, +e Elks Club, etc.
11. Community Strengths and Assets Map
Provincial & Federal Funding Healthcare
Community Programs & Involvement Community Health Clinic
UBC Dairy
Research &
Crime Prevention Awareness Arts
Correctional Service Local Businesses Education & Development
Volunteering Research Centre
Individual Skills
of Canada Farming Community Agricultural
Community Policing
RCMP Personal Support / Community Support Industry
Networks
Food Bank Thrift Store Community Bank
Recreation Parenting & Better Beginnings
Financial Institution
Elementary/ Youth Inclusion Programs Retirement Living
High School Family & Youth Support
Social Services
12. Community Needs Map
Lack of Job Opportunity
Outcry for More Recreational/Entertainment
Resources
Lack of Indifference Age
Substance Abuse
Involvement between Divide
Boredom Crime age divides
with
First Nations Indifference towards youth
Communities in the community
Lack of Resources for Youth
13. Community Growth and Renewal
For information on Agassiz community projects, go to:http://www.district.kent.bc.ca/lik-communities-in-bloom.html
15. A special thanks to Agassiz-Harrison Community Services
staff and other small businesses and residents of the
community!
I couldn’t have done this project without your insight,
thank you for your help!
I have really enjoyed researching and exploring the
community of Agassiz!
