As you can see by our final edition of the 2023 calendar year, Agassiz-Harrison has fallen under a great deal of newsworthy headlines this year.
Some of our top stories continue to document the weather phenomena we’ve experienced both now and in the past. Who could forget the Fraser River getting clogged with blocks of ice the size of our cars? The winter marvel even made headlines in provincial publications.
Of course, the crazy ice was not the only subject that garnered wider attention. The ongoing political situation in Harrison Hot Springs sends the word “unprecedented” reverberating through our communities once again. With continued conflict among council members, a vote of no confidence in the mayor, a by-election following the resignation of a councillor, several disrupted meetings and much more, municipal politics in Harrison has – for better or worse – attracted more eyes to the community.
Our most-read story of the year, at least by the standards of online traffic, belongs to a “man on the street” look at the community’s thoughts on Cottonwood Mall’s food court closing. To the surprise of no one, the food court’s closure doesn’t really sit well with Agassiz-Harrison, and I can scarcely blame them for that. As to where the next best hangout will be for the mall-goers of the community will be in the future, no one knows yet.
Two of our Indigenous neighbours welcomed important artifacts back into their communities this year. Twenty-nine hand-woven baskets returned to the Sts’ailes Healing House in March; some of the baskets dated back at least 100 years. The following month, the Sq’éwlets First Nation accepted three baskets and an oar from the Kilby Historic Site, bringing them home on a “momentous day,” as Chief Johnny Williams put it.
This year also marked a major fundraising push for the future Lets’emot Regional Aquatic Centre. This, of course, includes Mayor Sylvia Pranger’s Walk the Talk for Lets’emot in April, in which she and a select group of walkers trekked 26 kilometres between Agassiz and Chilliwack, raising at least $1,000 per kilometre for the future pool centre. Who knows where we’ll be on that next year?
The Agassiz-Harrison Observer has brought you, our readers, news both great and small, good, bad and everything in between. This coming month and year marks my fourth with Black Press Media and with The Observer, and I’m proud of have been a part of chronicling the history of this lovely community.
So, what lies ahead in 2024? Well, I’m good at my job, but I’m no clairvoyant. I’m looking forward to taking on whatever the year brings, right along with you.
May 2024 be a blessed year for you, dear readers.