The donation of a 4.1 million dollar heritage property to A Rocha Canada, a local conservation organization, was recently completed in December of 2015. The 18 acre farm, located on 16th Avenue near 194th Street in Surrey, was established in 1933 as a riding estate for the Brooks family. Sam and Greta Brooks played a significant role in BC’s timber history. In 1912 Sam’s Powell River Company produced the first newsprint in the province and went on to become one of the world’s largest print plants. The estate was designed by English-born architect Ross Anthony Lort (1889-1968), who created many of the Lower Mainland’s most familiar buildings, including Vancouver’s β€œHobbit Houses” and Casa Mia. Designed in the Tudor Revival style of architecture, Brooksdale Estate is β€œone of the largest and most significant heritage sites in Surrey,” according to Jean Lamontagne, the City of Surrey’s General Manager for Planning and Development.

The donation, made by the Neufeld family, marks the fulfillment of a dream Arnold and Elizabeth Neufeld had envisioned back in the 1990’s. They purchased Brooksdale in 1972 when it was already being used as a care facility for people suffering from mental illness and mental disabilities. Over the years the Neufelds and their hard-working staff transformed this institutional facility into a place of care. Drama troupes and musical ensembles were formed. Performances were held in the big yellow barn and manor house. The residents also worked in the gardens, helping with the planting, weeding, and harvesting of the food that would later fill the kitchen. They tinkered with wood in the workshop and relaxed by the river in the late afternoons. And, on occasion, they were treated to β€œfamily holidays” to Disneyland or Hawaii.

The thoughtfulness with which the Neufeld family and their staff approached their clients was extended even to the land itself. Arnold Neufeld, who passed away in 2001, had a strong sense that the land was to be cared for and preserved. Over the years the family discussed their collective desire to see their property used and stewarded by a non-profit organization that would honour the care they had exhibited for this special place.

In 2009 a representative from the family approached A Rocha Canada with the audacious offer of donating all the environmentally sensitive land as well as the heritage buildings to the organization. A Rocha’s conservation team had been performing various mammal, fish and bird surveys on the property, but no one in the organization had an inkling that such a dramatic offer would be presented.

The organization relocated to Brooksdale in 2010 and began operating out of a lease agreement with the Neufeld family. Five years later, nearly 10 thousand students have visited Brooksdale on environmental education field trips; over 50 tons of vegetables have been grown and distributed through A Rocha’s Community Shared Agriculture program; and a myriad of threatened species and habitats have been studied and preserved in the Little Campbell River watershed. The Little Campbell River, which runs through the eastern portion of the property, is the most productive salmon bearing stream of its size in the Lower Mainland and has been listed as one of BC’s Top Twelve Most Endangered Rivers.*Β To help maintain a vibrant salmon stock in this threatened river many local school children and other visitors have released young salmon, generously provided by the nearby Little Campbell Hatchery and Semiahmoo Fish & Game Club, on the Brooksdale site.

Now that this legacy gift has been donated A Rocha is moving ahead with capital improvements, beginning with the historic barn, renovating it into a world-class conservation and education centre to welcome the public and train students of all ages.

β€œWe want this to be a place that honours the legacy of Elizabeth and Arnold Neufeld and honours the heritage value of this special property. We are excited that this will be a place of welcome, education and conservation for years to come.” David Anderson, Director, Brooksdale Environmental Centre.

The Centre is open on Saturdays for tours. Please book in advance by emailing british.columbia(at)arocha.ca

www.arocha.ca/bc.centre

* The Endangered River Status was given to the Little Campbell River by the BC Outdoor Recreation Council.
Video: Falling Frogs, Rosanna Peng, Le-chi Mao, Melissa Ong | Editing: Tim Hall
Photos: Samantha Miller, Brooke McAllister

Media Contacts:
David Anderson – Director (Brooksdale Environmental Centre). Contact the Brooksdale Office.
Markku Kostamo – President (A Rocha Canada) Contact the National Office.