Chilliwack - American Courthouses

Chilliwack is named after the native word meaning “as far upriver as you can go before having to switch to a pole”.

Surrounding Courthouses:

N – Princeton

E – Princeton

S – Washington State

W – Abbotsford

Location: Chilliwack is located in the southwest part of the Province along the Fraser River.

Judicial District: Vancouver Westminster Judicial District

Judicial Centre: Vancouver

Law Courts – Chilliwack

Location: 46085 Yale Road / Princess Avenue

Built: 2000 – 2002

Style: Modern

Architect: Killick Metz Bowen Rose Architects Planners Inc. of Vancouver

Contractor: Van Mar Constructors Inc. and Weiler Smith Bowers Structural Engineers

Description: The building faces east and is a two story concrete and glass structure. The building is located in the centre of Chilliwack. The southeast front has a projecting centre section with three rectangular openings and rising to a pediment at the roof line. Behind the centre section are glass panel walls. On the northeast side is a large concrete column framing the main entrance. The roof line is flat. In the interior the hallways run east-west. Near the entrance, stairs with glass walls, ascend to the seven courtrooms on the second story. The building is named as the Chilliwack Law Courts and houses the Supreme Court and Provincial Court.

Old Courthouse – Chilliwack

Location: 9391 College Street / Victoria Avenue

Built: 1950 – 1952

Style: Modern

Architect: C D Campbell, Chief Architect, Department of Public Works

Contractor: WDI Contracting

Description: The building faces east and is a three story red coloured brick, cream coloured stucco and concrete structure. The building is located in the centre of Chilliwack to the northwest of the courthouse. The east section is a three story rectangular shape with a central entrance and on the west side is a two story wing. The windows are horizontal. The roof line is flat. The building is being renovated for commercial use.

History: The first courthouse was designed by F M Rattenbury and built in 1894 on the corner of Victoria Avenue and Yonge Street. The building was enlarged in 1914 and was destroyed by fire in 1951. The second courthouse was constructed in 1950 to 1952 and is still standing. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 2000 to 2002.

Vancouver Westminster Judicial District Courthouses:

Abbotsford, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Powell River, Richmond, Sechelt, Surrey and Vancouver