Mother Nature certainly blessed Silver Valley. This Maple Ridge neighbourhood is tucked into the Golden Ears Park and located on the north side of the Alouette River. It is at the gateway to some of Greater Vancouver’s hottest recreation areas for residents and visitors alike.

LIFESTYLE

Boasting stunning views, fantastic trail networks, creeks and rivers, and its jewel, Golden Ears Park, this is a haven for equestrians and outdoor enthusiasts. It is safe to say it’s a healthy, outdoorsy lifestyle that attracts people to this enclave.

VIBE

With lots of young families living here, the vibe possesses an alluring fusion of city/country.

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS

Originally, this was a rural residential and large-lot suburban hamlet of about 600 residents. These days, it’s home to 90,990 residents (as of the 2021 census), up from 82,256 in 2016, an increase of 10.6 per cent. Approximately 75 per cent of Silver Valley residents are professionals earning $80,000-plus (2011 census).

This area is also very popular with equestrians, so it is very common to see people riding horses along the trails. This is mostly a young professional family demographic, with children under the age of 12, and the bulk of the population in the 35 to 54-year range.

IN THE AREA

Silver Valley is all about nature; there is no retail to be found here. However, the neighbourhood is a mere nine minutes by car to the Haney Place Mall, where the trendiest retailers for clothing and apparel, home decor and appliances, health and beauty items and more can be found. In addition, it isn’t far to the city centre, where you can find everything you need.

PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES

Neighbourhood residents are mainly car dependent, however, in 2017, TransLink launched two new bus lines to the northern suburb of Silver Valley.

REAL ESTATE

There are 34,254 private dwellings in Silver Valley, comprised of townhomes, single- family homes and recently built strata lowrise and midrise condo residences. Prices for condos are affordable compared to other areas, with one, two- and three-bedroom homes selling in the $450,000 to $950,000 range, depending on the size. Larger single-family homes can get expensive, starting anywhere from $1.5 million and up.

HOT SPOTS

UBC MALCOLM KNAPP RESEARCH FOREST

The UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest is home to black bear, cougar and black-tailed deer populations. As many as 26 species of birds have also been identified and the marshland to the west is an important wintering and breeding habitat for waterfowl.

GOLDEN EARS PARK

As one of the largest parks in the province, Golden Ears Park is prized for its plethora of recreational activities. Designed with day-trippers and campers in mind, it offers swimming, windsurfing, water-skiing, canoeing, boating, fishing and features three large campgrounds.

LOON LAKE

Loon Lake stretches more than 1.6 kilometres long. This picturesque and pristine lake is perfect for canoeing, kayaking, swimming or lounging about.