Albion, Maple Ridge is a small village with lots of culture and history. It is easily accessible to the greater Vancouver area, as well as Victoria. The Golden Ears Bridge through Langley connects Albion to the rest of Maple Ridge. It has everything you need in town, from parks and libraries to shops and services that keep families healthy while taking advantage of any city life.
Albion was renamed in 1907, originally called East Haney. It was first occupied by the European settler Samuel Robertson and his native wife, Julia. He planted many fruit trees in the clearing along the river, making it the first fruit orchards in British Columbia. The economy of Albion back then featured sawmills, canneries and fish boats.
Historical buildings in Albion:
- Albion Wharf is a historic feature
- Elliott Residence
- Herslet Residence
- Jackson Farm House
- Kohy Residence
- Jackson Farm House
- Langley Indian Band Cemetery
- Robertson Orchard/Kanaka Creek Park is a Cultural Landscape.
- Spencer Milk House is on the Albion Fairgrounds
- Tanaka House
- Wynnyk Farm House
A prominent feature of Albion is the historic Hill House built in 1912 and located 240th north of Lougheed Highway. It is a four-storey Edwardian style 4,000-square-foot landmark. It represents the history of Albion's origins and is a reminder of the rural farming community and families that settled in Albion.
Some of the unique characteristics of the Hill House are:
- Location on its original property
- Form, scale and massing
- Square floor plan
- Bellcast octagonal corner turret
- Bellcast pyramidal roof
- Wraparound verandah with twinned columns
- Double-hung 1-over-1 wooden sash windows
- Original wooden siding
- Surviving interior features including wood paneling, lath and plaster walls, wood floors, and door and window trim.
Albion is a hot spot for outdoor enthusiasts looking for some fresh air and good company. Albion’s optimal location makes it the perfect launching point for easy access to some of British Columbia's finest hiking and biking trails, with plenty of quaint little eateries to refuel at when you find yourself on a long trek.
Let's take a closer look at some of the reasons Albion, Maple Ridge is a great place to live in 2021.
1. Surrounding nature and community of Albion
Albion is easily accessible to a wide range of trails that provide many opportunities for residents and visitors to see the beautiful view around them. Strolling through tree-lined paths along winding nature will leave you feeling refreshed and inspired. Here’s some of what you can do if you stay in this area.
The Albion Trail and the BC Hiking Trails all offer a variety of activities for you to discover.
Cycle along the Regional Cycling Route (RCR) that runs through Albion. The RCR is a route that consists of a series of trails and paths that allow you to explore the topography of the Fraser Valley. Farms, forests and quaint towns line the trail as it passes through small picturesque communities such as Maple Ridge before reaching its final destination at Fort Langley. The RCR offers a stress-free cycling experience with no steep inclines or long hills to climb. The trail is particularly stunning in autumn when the leaves change colour.
Albion Mountain Bike Skills Park also provided recreational opportunities for kids and adults.
Explore the Albion Maple Ridge urban forest. Albion-Seekaskootch Park is an urban forest at the edge of town with a large array of trails that meander through marsh and forestland. This park is filled with natural beauty and nature’s bounty. A short hike can take you along the Lighthouse Trail, past Vancouver Island Maples and Arbutus trees that are over 150 years old, to an abandoned lighthouse converted into a safe place for birdwatchers to rest their eyes.
Kanaka Creek Regional Park has two trails. The Canyon Trail is a challenging 1.2 km and is along the sandstone canyon with falls on the north and south sides of Kanaka Creek. There is The Riverfront Trail, an easy 3 km with amazing views of the Fraser River.
Albion has a Community Library that has been active since the early years of the town. Its location is a beautiful new building just off the downtown area. It has a wide selection of easily accessible information from newspapers to books on tape. They also host events like book club meetings, art shows, and children's summer programs.
Albion has many shops and businesses in the tiny downtown, with community events like art shows held regularly in the park next to the community center. It also is only 17 km from downtown Vancouver. Residents have the privilege to live in a place to enjoy city life while still having a quick escape into nature.
2. Education in Albion, Maple Ridge
The schools in Albion are under School District 42 Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. Some of the schools in the area include:
- Honeybees Pre School
- Albion elementary
- c̓əsqənelə Elementary: The school was given this name in recognition of the First Nations history of the area. c̓əsqənelə means "Where the golden eagles gather."
- Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary School: Opened in 2005, the school is a public high school in Maple Ridge and named after the early settler. Because of its technical focus, it attracts students from other neighbourhoods as well.
3. Transportation and getting around Albion
Albion is well-planned out with a wide variety of transportation options. If you prefer to get around by bike, there is a 4 km bike lane that connects many of the neighbourhoods in town. There is also a 2 km walking-and-bike path that circles the town. Albion's proximity to major highways makes it easy to explore the sights in Vancouver or Victoria and have an escape route when needed.
The closest bus stations to Albion are:
Northbound 240 St @ Hill Ave is 249 meters away, 5 min walk.
Southbound 240 St @ 104 Ave is 694 meters away, 10 min walk.
The following transit bus lines have routes that pass near Albion: 701, 745, and 746.
Here is how to get to Albion by bus with commute times from the following surrounding areas:
- Real Canadian Superstore, Pitt Meadows 51 min
- Aldergrove, British Columbia, Abbotsford 147 min
- Walnut Grove Park and Ride, Langley District Municipality 52 min
- Willowbrook Shopping Centre, Langley District Municipality 121 min
- Carvolth Park And Ride, Langley District Municipality 81 min
- Cat & Fiddle Pub, Port Coquitlam 86 min
- Langley Centre, Langley 100 min
- From The Gillnetter Pub, Port Coquitlam 103 min
- Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel, Surrey 107 min
- CKF, Langley 123 min
Taking a bus from Albion to downtown Vancouver is challenging, so residents of east Maple Ridge prefer to drive. Commuting by train is an option, where you can leave your car in the parking lot and catch the West Coast Express to Vancouver. Getting to and from Albion, either east or west, is fast through Lougheed Highway.
4. Real estate in Albion
Real estate in Albion Maple Ridge is on the rise. The area has been through tough times with the collapse of the forestry industry in British Columbia, but it's made a comeback. Homes are affordable, and thus you will find many families lured here.
The original town plan called for Albion to become a resort community, and it still has some lovely waterfront homes near the sea that pay tribute to this dream.
With the major chunk of housing construction that occurred during the year 2000, the predominant housing properties are single-detached homes in the Albion neighbourhood. Many of these homes are large properties having four to four-plus bedrooms. Other properties are mainly duplexes. Homeowners make up 90% and renters 10%.
The average home price in Albion is in the million-dollar range with a low in the $700.00s. There has been a steady rise in home prices with a recent 8% increase. The demand is high, and homes tend to sell in less than 30 days of being on the market.
Albion is affordable for everyone – whether you’re a young couple, an active couple or a family with school-aged kids. The median household income in Albion is 70% higher than the national average, with 10.5% of people earn between $80,000 and $100,000 and 6.0% of people earn $300,000 or more.
Let’s take a look at employment in Albion by industry:
- Construction industry 7.6%
- Manufacturing sector 5.3%
- Financial & insurance services 3.4%
- Wholesale & retail services 13.0%
- Public administration 4.9%
- Transportation, warehousing & utilities 4.3%
- Education, health & social services 13.0%
- Other 20.4%
5. Things to do in Albion and what's nearby
Whether it’s an impromptu picnic under the shade of large trees or a gourmet dinner in a once-upon-a-time farmhouse, Albion Maple Ridge is an alluring destination that satisfies your soul as well as your stomach.
Visit local eateries and pick up some locally grown ingredients to take back home with you after visiting one of the many farmer's markets held throughout the region. Many of these vendors sell produce and artisan goods in local vacation rentals like The Barn and Loft at Maple Ridge. There is a local cafe and pizzeria for your daily cup and a quick bite. Residents don't have to travel far to Pitt Meadows, Coquitlam or Mission to shop.
Albion is truly a hidden gem close to the heart of things. Thanks to its central location, Albion residents have easy access to all sorts of activities and conveniences and don’t have to spend countless hours commuting. If you live in Albion, you can easily take a short drive over the Pattulo Bridge to Langley or Surrey, just 15 minutes away, where there are more shopping, dining and entertainment options than you can count. Albion is also very close to the Sea-to-Sky highway, so residents can drive up to Vancouver and explore the city without hassle.
The Albion Fairgrounds is where all the action happens. It is used all year round to celebrate events and festivals such as the Country Fest, Caribbean Festival and the Ridge Meadows Home Show.
The Albion Sports Complex provides various outdoor sports activities for the community. It is easily accessible from Lougheed Highway. It features a Baseball/Softball Diamond, bleacher seating, concessions, a football Field, 250 car parking, a soccer field, a spray park, washrooms, and is wheelchair accessible. The Sports Complex houses an ice rink, Planet Ice and a curling club, Golden Ears Winter Club.
Something to look forward to, is the new Albion Community Centre, located at 104 Avenue and 240 Street, set to finish in fall 2021. The 20,000 square foot centre boasts the following features: a 300 seat hall, outdoor amphitheatre, teaching kitchen, a child care space, and much more.
Albion Maple Ridge is the kind of place where families can flourish. Residents have easy access to Canada Line train service that makes commuting to work or school effortlessly. For exercise enthusiasts, there are plenty of nearby trails for hiking and biking as well as a public swimming pool in nearby Langley City.
Living in Albion has its perks. It is a unique neighbourhood, with green spaces and water views and, with bigger towns a stone's throw away, it allows the residents of Albion to experience the peace and explore the surrounding areas and all it has to offer.
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