A Tale of Two ‘Cities’
Timeline
1891-The Townsite of Mission is laid out by land-developer James Welton Horne (after whom 3 downtown streets are named). Horne arranges an auction for these properties and dubs it the “Great Land Sale”.
1892-The Corporation of the District of Mission is formed. The “Corporation” surrounds but does not include the Townsite of Mission (the area spanning the Fraser River up to 14th Ave and from Heritage Park to Cedar Street.)
1922-The Townsite of Mission is renamed the Corporation of the Village of Mission. As a Village, it will now be run by an elected Board of Commissioners.
1929-The first Municipal Hall is built on Main Street (present-day First Avenue, currently the site of Martin’s Downtown restaurant). This building housed both branches of local government at the time: the Corporation of the District of Mission and the Corporation of the Village of Mission.
1950-The Corporation of the Village of Mission becomes the Corporation of the Village of Mission City.
1958-The Corporation of the Village of Mission City becomes the Corporation of the Town of Mission City. It is the one of the first Villages in BC to change status from a Village to a Town. As a Town, Mission City may now elect a Mayor and council.
1969-The Corporation of the District of Mission and the Corporation of the Town of Mission City amalgamate to become the District of Mission.
1974-A new Municipal Hall is built at the current location on Stave Lake St., where local government operations continue today.
2021-The District of Mission started a re-branding process which included the transition to City of Mission.