Taimi Saari and friends at Cliff Falls, 1944. (P04903)
Group of friends in swimming gear in 1945. (P04919)
Kanaka Creek has long been respected for its bounty of salmon, game, and plants, but also for its scenic beauty. Indigenous peoples and Settlers alike have long since visited the beautiful waterfalls at what is now called Cliff Park. Post World War II, the area around the creek became increasingly suburban. In the late 70s it was deemed necessary to create a protected greenbelt around the creek for the ecological health of the area, a controversial decision. Today people can still enjoy a picnic by the falls, just as they did 100 years ago.
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While this scavenger hunt addresses primarily white settler history, it is important to note that both the Katzie and Kwantlen’s history with this land spans back thousands of years prior to the arrival of European settlers. We would like to acknowledge that each of the places in this scavenger hunt are part of the unceded territories of the Katzie First Nation and the Kwantlen First Nation on which we are lucky enough to work and share this land’s history.
