Albion/Kanaka

History in the Making


Then


Albion was originally named “East Haney”. In 1907, when the post office opened, the name Albion was adopted because there was already a post office in Haney. A Scottish man named Samuel Robertson was the first non-native settler in Albion. His land, on the east and south of Kanaka Creek, had the first fruit-bearing orchards in all of British Columbia.

Kanaka Creek was named after the Hawaiians, known as Kanakas, who first came to Fort Langley as labourers for the Hudson's Bay Company. Many of these Hawaiians married Kwantlen and Katzie First Nation women.

Samuel Robertson passed away in 1897 and his son James took over the 700 acre farm. In 1919, James sold the land to two brothers named David and Colonel Victor Spencer. In 1948, a major flood devastated the area and flooded the Robertson property which also destroyed the buildings. Samuel Robertson had a business partner named Peter Baker, whose true name was Peter Boulanger, an early French settler from Quebec. Together, their farm lands made up the land that is known today as Albion Flats.

What's Here

A few of the neighbourhood features, from parks to popular attractions.
The City of Maple Ridge purchased the land in 1959 and today this is the location for the Albion Fairgrounds. The milk house is the last remaining original structure on the land that was built by Victor Spencer.

Learn more about the history and the pioneer families of Albion at the Maple Ridge Museum.

The Heritage Resources of Maple Ridge is a great resource for additional information about the Albion area.

Historical Buildings in Albion & Kanaka


  • Albion Wharf | 23850 River Road | Historic Feature
  • Elliott Residence | 11630 240 Street | Circa 1933
  • Herslet Residence | 11363 240 Street | 1926
  • Hill House | 10036 240 Street | Circa 1912
  • Jackson Farm House | 24554-24572 102 Avenue | Circa 1910
  • Kohy Residence | 23967 118 Avenue | 1937
  • Jackson Farm House | 24554-24572 102 Avenue | Circa 1910
  • Langley Indian Band Cemetery | Lougheed Highway | Circa 1876
  • Log Cabin | 24871 108 Avenue | Circa 1900
  • Residence | 23423 Lougheed Highway | Circa 1912
  • Residence | 23283-23289 McKay Street | Circa 1910
  • Robertson Orchard/Kanaka Creek Park | Cultural Landscape
  • Spencer Milk House | Albion Fairgrounds 23448 105 Avenue | Circa 1919
  • Tanaka House | 24077 124 Avenue | Circa 1936-40
  • Wynnyk Farm House | 23965 Kanaka Creek Road | Circa 1937

Now


The Albion Fairgrounds is used year-round to host many various events, such as: Country Fest, Caribbean Festival, Ridge Meadows Home Show and many more. The Sport Complex is home to Planet Ice (Ice Rink) and Golden Ears Winter Club (Curling Club).

Kanaka Creek Regional Park has two main sections. The Canyon Trail (1.2 km) follows the sandstone canyon with remarkable falls on both the north and south arm of Kanaka Creek. You can expect a few challenging hills on this trail. Bell-Irving Hatchery is part of Kanaka Creek Regional Park and supports improvement activities for Chum and Coho Salmon as well as Cutthroat Trout in Kanaka Creek. The Riverfront Trail (3 km) is a fairly flat trail that boosts beautiful views of the Fraser River.