What's Happening: Cultural Services In Delta
July & August 2023
We blinked and suddenly it's summer! School is out and the sun is shining, so naturally Cultural Services has put together a fantastic offering of indoor and outdoor programming for people of all ages this summer. Visit Delta.ca/CulturalServices to see where and how you can spend your summer days and nights.
Thank you to everyone who hopped on the case and made Murder for Two a success! Delta's first in-house musical really came together through many hours of work—pushing our little theatre at the North Delta Centre for the Arts to new limits! The Friday night performance sold out! Congratulations and extra thanks to our lead actors, Lois Warwick, and Tehya Lorenson as well as our technical director Tatty Mitchell and Play Director Jordy Matheson. Kudos to a job well done! Be sure to keep your eyes out for our next production.
While we still have a whole summer ahead of us, be sure to mark your calendar for the Luminary Festival happening on Saturday, September 9 at Sunstone Park in North Delta! Learn more about this cornerstone showing of arts and culture in our community at Delta.ca/Luminary.
Take care and enjoy summer. We sure will!
Upcoming Events
There are lots of great programming options this summer for both adults and children. Bust a move in one of our dance classes, take in some great music, create a play, or take a historic walk in downtown Ladner.
By no means are these the only events happening in Delta's Cultural facilities, but here are some highlights you won't want to miss.
Elliott Street Wharf – Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from June 16-September 3
Visit Elliott Street Wharf for some cool summer vibes. Listen to music under the lights or play some tunes on the community piano—open for all to play. City programming is scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.
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Friday Night Lights – live performances from 6-8pm
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Saturday Cultural Corner – City staff-facilitated art projects and activities as well as facilitated art and discussions around the artefact collection by Delta Heritage Society from 6-8pm
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Sunday Family Fun – family-themed activities with pop up parks from 5-7pm
Summer Camp Registration
There is a great selection of weeklong summer camps with some spots still available and shorter day camps for those not wanting to commit to a full day but still want the arts experience. Visit Delta.ca/CulturalServices and scroll down to the Registered Programs. Learn to dance, paint, sculpt, and the lost art of letter writing.
Canada Day Celebrations
Join us as we celebrate Canada Day at Diefenbaker Park, Kirkland House, and Chalmers Park. Enjoy a full day of activities for families, a live performance by Reckless (a Bryan Adams cover band) at Chalmers, and official ceremonies.
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10am-1pm, Diefenbaker Park (hosted by Tsawwassen Boundary Bay Lions Club)
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12-4pm, Kirkland House (hosted by Kirkland House Foundation)
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5:30-10pm, Chalmers Park (hosted by the City of Delta)
Concerts in the Park – June 13-August 25, Various Parks in Delta
Concerts in the Park is back with returning favourites as well as some new performers. Bring your blanket and chair for a magical summer evening of music and community. An outdoor movie will follow a couple of the concerts. All concerts will have Delta’s Pop Up Play so arrive a bit early with the family and enjoy some activities before and during the concert.
North 40 Heritage Walk – August 12, August 26 from 11am-12pm
Join an experienced Discovery Centre guide on a heritage walk and learn about the rich history of the Vancouver Wireless Station (North 40 Park Reserve). Meet at Churchill Street.
Ladner Heritage Walks – July 16, July 30, August 13, August 27 from 1-2:30pm
Discover Delta through a guided heritage walk around downtown Ladner, led by a knowledgeable Delta Heritage Society member. Learn all about local heritage monuments, nature, and the diverse communities of Delta. The walk starts and ends at 4953 Chisholm Street, Ladner. Participants are encouraged to visit the Douglas J. Husband Discovery Centre after the walk.
National Potato Day – Saturday August 19 from 1-4pm
Join us on National Potato Day to celebrate one of Delta’s most famous crops—the potato! Explore the potato-related artefacts and documents in our collection, play some potato-related games, use potatoes to make some crafts, and even take a special picture with the Stillwell Cup—affectionately known as the “Stanley Cup of potato growing” by staff!
Tea & Talks – July 4 & 12, August 30 from 1:30-3pm, Douglas J. Husband Discovery Centre
Join us at the Discovery Centre to learn about fascinating topics such as the Vancouver Wireless Station, Genealogy, and North Delta Heritage through one of our Tea & Talks. Talks are held by Delta’s Curator, Michelle Taylor, and by the Delta Heritage Society.
Drop-in Programs
Delta Ukulele Circle – August 5 & September 2 at 2:30pm, ND Centre for the Arts
Led by Gary Cyr, the Delta Ukulele Circle is an enthusiastic and supportive crowd of music lovers. The ukulele provides a unique opportunity for individuals to play and enjoy music together. Learn more at DeltaUkes.com.
Douglas J. Husband Discovery Centre Updates
Your summer plans need to include a visit (or more) to The Douglas J. Husband Discovery Centre. The Discovery Centre is a hands-on and accessible space for dialogue and discovery about our community’s past, present, and future. Featuring authentic objects, digital experiences, and fascinating stories, all are welcome to engage with Delta’s storied history. Discover Delta today!
Hours of Operation
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Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am-5pm
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Thursday from 10am-8pm
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Saturday & Sunday from 12-5pm
Updates to Carousel: The Digital Extension of the Discovery Centre
Did you know that there are eight computers in the exhibition space featuring our interactive “Carousel” software? Carousel gives us space to dive deeper into the many stories of Delta’s diverse history through photographs, videos, and written text.
Keep an eye out this summer for new additions to Carousel as we weave in some of Delta’s fascinating South Asian history.
Special thanks to Delta Heritage Society board member member K.P. Aujlay and our summer student, Jahnek Rai,for their collaboration on this project.
Updated Collections Online
We recently updated our collections databases and we invite you to explore them from the comfort of your own home! Our archival and artefact collections help tell the stories of Delta’s diverse history. See what you can discover here: https://archivesmuseum.delta.ca/
New to the Archives
This spring has been a very successful time for the Delta Archives. Firstly, we have obtained our long awaited update to our existing database, making thousands of new entries available to the public to search. We are also up to eight oral history interviews completed this year with community members, with plenty more expected before the end of the year. These are available to stream from our new online database.
One of our favourite parts of the job is seeing the new collections that we are offered (or seek out) from the public and these last few months have been very significant, including collections of two different families that lived on Annacis Island before industrialization. Work to make these available in the database is ongoing. We also received an important donation of photos related to the Wright family who farmed at the north end of 56 Street. Work on these is anticipated to be started this year.
Descriptions work and scanning was completed, and is still underway, on older donations. The Dennison family photos had received very little work or scanning on its collection but are now much better described and scanned. The same is true of an important East Delta photo album that had its photos scanned and improved descriptions coming soon related to the Chorlton family. Work is also progressing well on making available our most significant collection of local Japanese history from the Oikawa Family Fonds. These photos highlight the lives of the Japanese presence in North Delta’s Sunbury neighbourhood and its once thriving fishing industry.
There are other exciting developments happening in the near future that we hope to share with you next time. Until then!
Heritage on Display
North Delta Recreation Centre
The Carlson Family and the Community of Annacis Island
Get a glimpse of everyday life in the small farming community of Annacis Island from 1909-1959 through photographs and oral histories held within the Carlson Family Fonds (Delta Archives 2021-035). Images and oral history excerpts courtesy of the Delta Heritage Society. Special thanks to Ann Pratt, Ed Wiken, and Rolf Floden.
Image: Delta Archives, 2021-035-329 – Children at Annacis Island School in the 1920s.
South Delta Recreation Centre
Vancouver Wireless Station: Delta’s Secret Monitoring Station
From 1950 to 1972, the Vancouver Wireless Station operated as a secret monitoring station used to listen to Soviet communications. Learn about the community who lived and worked on the base through images and oral history excerpts courtesy of the Delta Heritage Society. Special thanks to Martha and Margaret Shiu and Bill Rogers.
Image: Delta Archives, 2023-007-005 – Claude Tyson holding Martha Shiu with her father Daniel Shiu holding her arm, 1956. Claude and Daniel were both servicemen who served at the Vancouver Wireless Station.
Meet Our Cultural Services Team!
Douglas J. Husband Discovery Centre Staff
From left to right: Michelle Taylor, Curator; Kendall Kloosterman, Education Coordinator; Lisa Doepker, Cultural Services Coordinator; Kevin Hicks, Collections Assistant; Robert Sullivan, Cultural Services Manager
Curatorial Assistant Summer Student – Jahnek Rai
We are thrilled to welcome Jahnek Rai as the Curatorial Assistant summer student. Jahnek grew up in North Delta, has a BA in sociology and history, and is returning to UBC in the fall to start the PDP program. His focus this summer will be to diversify our collections and displays, with a particular focus on South Asian history, through original research, oral history interviews, and the creation of new displays at South Delta and North Delta Recreation Centres. Jahnek will be working out of the Discovery Centre until the beginning of September so be sure to speak with him or any Discovery Centre staff if you think you can contribute to the documentation of Delta's South Asian history!
North Delta Centre for the Arts Staff
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Tsawwassen Arts Centre Staff
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Note: Tsawwassen Arts Centre has a new phone number: 604-952-3649 |
Issues? Email culturalservices@delta.ca . Learn more at Delta.ca/CulturalServices or follow the City of Delta on social media:
