Ladner

Sea air, hiking trails and all its natural elements are making Ladner a catch

Mayor Lois Jackson wishes to turn Ladner’s waterfront—currently typified by crusty marinas and weathered dwellings—into a real boardwalk peopled by happy condo-dwellers and restaurateurs. Something more urbane, accessible, and saleable. That project is years off, and will suffer intense scrutiny from locals as Ladner’s rich farmland history (and the turn-of-the-century village at its heart) meets the future halfway. Certainly parts of this patch of Delta have already been citified in the dullest way: Ladner Trunk Road is saddled on either side with bleak malls where chains like Cobs and Starbucks rub elbows with local indies like Fancy This and Buck or Two. Ladner’s best future will likely have less to do with “sustainable development” and more to do with a “sustainable retreat” from the concrete lure of suburban life.—Pat Richardson

It was still just a frame when the Tobys purchased their 2,250 square-foot, heritage-style house.  They promptly extended the kitchen, replaced a set of mediocre appliances, and added a fireplace to the coach house—a 700-square-foot self-contained residence out back.Purchased Directly from the builder.The Search After traveling the globe and a quick stab at living downtown, Paula (35) and Magavon (34) knew they wanted their first home to be in a green area, like the rural Caribbean town where Magavon was raised. Sunny Ladner was an obvious choice—Paula grew up three blocks down the road.The Neighbourhood The Neighbourhood The Fraser River is bumping with houseboats, and the Old Village is filled with picturesque farmhouses and trinket shops, but it was Ladner’s natural elements that were the biggest draw. The Tobys love getting hits of sea air and exploring the network of hiking trails at their back door. Paula plans to be a regular at the massive farmers’ market each summer: 140 farmers and artisans close down the village to offer up everything from berries to potatoes to fresh honey. Street entertainment often turns the event into a block party.—Mish Way.

Reiffel Bird Sanctuary

Blue herons, snow geese, wood ducks. 143 species were spotted in this region during the Audubon Society’s last species count. Bring binoculars to the trails and lookout towers on this stretch of 850 preserved acres. On Westham Island, 13 kilometres west of Ladner; 604-946-6980. Reifelbirdsanctuary.com