ABBOTSFORD, BC – September 11, 2026 – The City of Abbotsford is pleased to celebrate the official opening of the new Westridge Park on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
Located at 30978 Westridge Drive, Westridge Park combines activities for children and families to learn about the legacy of Japanese Canadians through a Cultural Contemplative Space partially funded by the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society. The new park also features a playground with a water play feature and zipline, a gathering shelter, drinking fountain, benches, picnic tables, shade trees, paved accessible pathways, and a new paved pathway connecting to Townline Hill Park to create a seamless extended park experience.
“Westridge Park is a wonderful new addition to this neighbourhood and to our growing parks network,” said Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens. “With spaces to play, gather, walk and reflect, this park has been thoughtfully designed to bring people together and make the outdoors more accessible for residents of all ages. The Japanese heritage garden adds special meaning to this space, honouring the history and contributions of Japanese Canadians while creating a place for learning, connection and community pride.”
With a long history locally, provincially and nationally, the story of Japanese Canadians is very important to share with current and future generations.
“This new contemplative space and heritage garden brings an important part of Abbotsford’s history into the open, and we are deeply grateful to the City of Abbotsford and the Heritage Abbotsford Society for helping make it visible again,” said Japanese Canadian Legacies Society CEO Susanne Tabata. “It is also part of a much larger effort to recognize the contributions Japanese Canadians have made in British Columbia since the 1870s, to preserve places of memory, and to build a strong community and legacy for generations to come.”
The public opening celebration and ribbon cutting for Westridge Park takes place on Saturday, September 19 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Grand opening activities are scheduled at the Westridge Park playground, while nearby Townline Hill Park (30939 Townline Hill Park) will host additional activities as well. Overflow parking is available near the Townline Hill Park soccer field of, adjacent to Rick Hansen Secondary School. Rick Hansen Secondary School parking lot will also be available for overflow parking and will close at 4:00 p.m.
Westridge Park is the latest addition to a series of new parks and park enhancements across the city. These projects reflect the City’s ongoing commitment to expanding outdoor recreation and family-friendly spaces and advancing park amenities while supporting Council’s 2022–2026 Strategic Plan priority of fostering a healthy and active community.
Find a list of recently completed and ongoing park and facility projects at abbotsford.ca/city-hall/projects-go.
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For more information contact:
Darren McDonald
Communications and Public Relations Specialist
City of Abbotsford
media@abbotsford.ca