Chilliwack – The City of Chilliwack and Tourism Ch’illiwack are pleased to announce that the City of Chilliwack will take over the management and operations of Heritage Park, effective April 1, 2027.
Chilliwack Heritage Park, a large, multi-use, year-round facility that accommodates trade shows, exhibitions, sporting events, major regional events, agricultural and equestrian events, and community activities is owned by the City of Chilliwack. Since 2012, Tourism Ch’illiwack has held the management and operations agreement for the facility, while the City has maintained the building and provided capital upgrades.
With the current management and operations agreement set to expire on December 31, 2026, the City completed a comprehensive review of Heritage Park as a municipal asset and explored efficiencies related to City management and operations, in conjunction with its ongoing maintenance responsibilities.
After the review, Tourism Ch’illiwack and the City of Chilliwack agreed that it would be in both parties’ best interests for the City to take over the management and operations of Heritage Park. Both parties will work together on a transition plan, with a goal to retain as many existing employees from Heritage Park as possible.
“Heritage Park is a valued community asset and strong economic driver in our community, and we thank Tourism Ch’illiwack for the incredible work they have done managing its operations and marketing the big red barn as prime event location,” said Mayor Popove. “We look forward to working closely with Tourism Ch’illiwack to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated transition.”
“Over the past 15 years, we have had the privilege of watching Chilliwack Heritage Park grow into an important economic driver for our community and a gathering place for agriculture, sport, events and celebrations of every kind,” said Brian Minter, Chair of Tourism Ch’illiwack. “Tourism Ch’illiwack is incredibly proud of what has been accomplished at Heritage Park and deeply grateful to our staff, partners, event organizers and the City for the role they have played in that success. It has been an honour to serve as the facility operator, and as we prepare for this next chapter, we are committed to working closely with the City to support a smooth and successful transition.”
“Heritage Park will always be an important part of Tourism Ch’illiwack’s story,” said Allison Colthorp, Executive Director of Tourism Ch’illiwack. “Our team has poured a tremendous amount of energy, care and entrepreneurial thinking into the facility over the past 15 years, helping grow its events, visitation and economic impact. While our role as operator is changing, our commitment to Chilliwack and to the success of Heritage Park is not. We will work collaboratively with the City through the transition, and we’re excited about the opportunity ahead to focus even more of Tourism Ch’illiwack’s efforts on destination development, event attraction and creating new opportunities that strengthen Chilliwack’s visitor economy.”
“Operating Heritage Park directly will allow us to align day-to-day operations, from booking processes and maintenance standards to customer service and event delivery, while Tourism Ch’illiwack continues to support our community facilities through their destination marketing channels,” said Mayor Popove. “We believe this transition will support coordinated scheduling and community access to help serve Chilliwack today, while giving us more ability to plan and deliver long-term strategic investments in this facility in the future.”
