Heritage Week kicks off throughout the province on Monday with a host of exciting events highlighting the role power production has played in British Columbia's history.

Beginning Sunday, Feb. 19, at the Stave Falls Visitors Centre in Mission, families can tour Turn on the Juice: the Development of Electricity in Mission, chronicling the early development of power in B.C.

The Western Canada Power Company, now BC Hydro, began construction of the Stave Falls Powerhouse and Dam in 1909. It was used to generate power for the Fraser Valley until it was decommissioned in 2000. Today the facility, a National Historic Site of Canada, tells the story of how power helped build B.C.

Photo of Stave Falls' generator floor: http://www.bchydro.com/community/recreation_areas/stave_falls_visitor_centre.html

Find an event in your community: http://www.heritagebc.ca/heritage-week-2012

Quick Facts:

• Through the City Green Curriculum, the Province has introduced more than 100 energy managers to best practices in the energy retro-fit of public-sector heritage buildings.
• Through LiveSmart, the Province provides an incentive of up to $25 for wood storm windows for heritage homes. B.C. is the only jurisdiction in Canada to support storm windows through a whole-home retrofit incentive program.

Learn More:

Heritage BC: http://www.heritagebc.ca/heritage-week-2012

BC Power Pioneers: http://www.powerpioneers.com/bc_hydro_history/history/1860-1929/

BC Hydro: http://www.bchydro.com/

Canadian Register of Historic Places: http://www.historicplaces.ca/

Heritage Branch: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/heritage/

Contact:

Dave Crebo
Communications Director
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 812-5747