02 The story
Where Maple Ridge met the river
Before roads and highways, the Fraser River was the main route through the valley, and Port Haney was where Maple Ridge met it. Thomas Haney, a brick maker, bought land here in 1879 because of its clay deposits and ran a brickyard that shipped its product by river. With the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway, businesses gathered around the wharf and the station, and Port Haney became the area’s main landing. Fires in 1910, 1926 and 1936 destroyed parts of the old commercial area, but a number of historic buildings survived.
A heritage district
Today Port Haney is a designated heritage district. Some heritage buildings from other parts of Maple Ridge were moved here to protect them, and together they give the neighbourhood a distinctive character. The Port Haney Heritage Walk, about 1.4 km one way, links key sites and includes some inclines.
Two small museums tell the local story. Haney House, built by Thomas Haney for his family in the 1880s, is kept as a period home and opens to visitors in summer. The Maple Ridge Museum and Community Archives occupies the former manager’s house of the Port Haney Brick and Tile company in Jim Hadgkiss Park, overlooking the Fraser.
On the waterfront
The Port Haney Wharf on River Road is a pleasant spot to watch the river traffic and look across toward Langley. Small parks such as Jim Hadgkiss Park and Brickwood Park give the area green space, and the West Coast Express station sits right beside the tracks.
Port Haney is quiet, so plan to pair it with downtown. Explore the heritage walk and museums, then head up the hill to 224 Street for lunch or coffee.
