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Two heritage awards handed out

Eric Woodward and Marten and Ruth Van Huizen win for preservation efforts
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Langley Heritage Society President Fred Pepin presents a 2012 Heritage Conservation Award to Eric Woodward at last month’s AGM and Awards evening for the Society.

Two private-property owners have been recognized for heritage conservation, in an award program established by the Langley Heritage Society.

The recipients are Eric Woodward for his facade enhancements of the west side of Glover Road, and Marten and Ruth Van Huizen for their restoration of the Field & Marten office.

The awards and recognition plaques were presented at the annual general meeting of the Heritage Society last month.

Recognition was given to the extensive streetscape renovations to a major part of downtown Fort Langley by Eric Woodward. The entire block of storefronts on the west side of Glover Road received facade enhancements consistent with Langley Township’s heritage design guidelines.

Heritage Society president, Fred Pepin, presented the award to Woodward and thanked him “for incorporating heritage elements in the new facades and helping to revitalize a major part of the downtown.”

The conversion of a residence into an office for Field & Marten won recognition for the expert restoration of a building with heritage interest.

Part of the building, located on the corner of Francis Avenue and Church Street, originally was the stable belonging to Langley’s first physician, Dr. Benjamin Marr.

In 1924 most of the stable was moved from beside the Marr House to its current location and converted into living quarters by Joe Sailes, a fisherman.

A smaller portion of the stable with two horse stalls remained at the Marr House for the pony of the doctor’s young son, Bill.

Over the years the Sailes home received additions but the original portion is still identifiable on the south side.

Marten and Ruth Van Huizen were commended by Pepin for their attention to detail and sensitive restoration of a building with an interesting link to Langley’s history.

The awards program, now in its third year, has three categories for award eligibility.

The Van Huizen’s Field & Marten office was honoured for the adaptive re-use of a building with heritage interest.

Eric Woodward received the award for incorporating heritage into the newly built environment or a re-development project. No award was presented this year in the third category, preservation of a heritage building.

However, Pepin gave a slideshow presentation on the Dixon Barn which was recently restored and preserved by the Langley Heritage Society.

The Heritage Society will continue the awards program by keeping track of heritage related projects in Langley and each year select a maximum of one award in each of the categories.