At the heart of the downtown core, 224th Street has been a business hub practically since Maple Ridge’s founding, all the way back in the late 19th century, though Maple Ridge was known as Haney back then, and 224th Street as Ontario Street, and later, 8th Avenue. It formed a straight shot down toward the dock at Port Haney (an excellent sunset-viewing spot and filming location today) where ships would bring supplies into town. The businesses lining 224th Street have, of course, changed much over the years, with Mr. Gold’s Gelato on the left, for instance, sharing the same location as Clappison’s Butcher back in the 1930’s, but film has had a way of capturing the many unique looks of this location in a time capsule of sorts, as different businesses have come and gone and the street has developed in varying ways.
At some or even multiple points in time, virtually every business on this stretch of 224th Street between Dewdney Trunk Road and Lougheed Highway has seen filming, from Audio Video Unlimited and Koco Dak (formerly Greenhouse Bistro and Black Rose Café) here on the north end to Bella Nonna’s Grocery & Deli and Walmart (formerly Zeller’s and Target) on the south, but none have been more popular than the great Chameleon Restaurant. This contemporary yet cozy dining space has been featured in over 90 productions, including Motive, Supergirl, Creepshow, Beyond, Date My Dad, You Me Her, The Imperfects, Broken Diamonds, and I Will Survive: The Gloria Gaynor Story, in addition to many wedding, Christmas, mystery, and crime drama movies, especially ones involving food. Feel free to poke your head in and ask about some of the projects they’ve hosted; they’d love to share a fun film story or two.
224th Street itself has also certainly been a feature of film through the years, from Blood Ties to Beyond, Under Wraps 2 to Kung Fu, Supergirl, The Imperfects, Wild Cards, and even the pilot episode of Tracker. It’s seen various car stunts and chase sequences, walk & talks, flashmobs, and, of course, a very common occurrence at this time of year, Christmas in July. On any given summer day, you may just find yourself strolling through a winter wonderland of candy canes, holly, and, yes, even snow! Sip on a cool drink and watch as background performers bundled up for below-zero weather stroll down the street like they have no conception of heat. It’s truly a beautiful sight, especially for those craving Christmas six months early.
Perhaps most famous, however, was the closure of 224th Street for Amazon Prime’s Playdate starring Alan Ritchson and Kevin James. This wild action comedy spent 27 days in Maple Ridge in spring of 2024, injecting an estimated $430,000 into the Maple Ridge economy as they filmed stunt sequences in Haney Place Mall, at the Albion Fairgrounds, on the Golden Ears Bridge, and on the very street before you!
As you stroll south past the landmarks and businesses rooted in such rich history and featured in so many stories, some of which may even be your favourite comfort films or binge-worthy shows, I hope you feel some of the magic (dare I even say, “movie magic”) so many filmmakers have felt as they stepped foot here too.
Thank you for joining me on this little look into some of the conventional and film history of Maple Ridge’s downtown core, and I look forward to meeting up with you again for more self-guided film shenanigans. This is only one small quadrant of Maple Ridge, after all – just imagine what goes on beyond. And if you’re looking to learn more in the meantime, check out Filming in Maple Ridge (For Everyone) on our website or pop on into the Economic Development Office at City Hall – we're always happy to chat all things film😊 See ya’ soon!
