Riverview Lands was renamed in 2021 to səmiq̓ʷəʔelə (pronounced Suh-MEE-kwuh-EL-uh), in recognition and respect of the Kwikwetlem First Nation’s (kʷikʷəƛ̓əm) historical and cultural ties to its ancestral land. kʷikʷəƛ̓əm asserts Indigenous rights and title to səmiq̓wəʔelə as part of its core traditional territory.
səmiq̓ʷəʔelə/Riverview reside at the heart of kʷikʷəƛ̓əm core territory. These watershed lands have sustained kʷikʷəƛ̓əm for over 9,000 years – for food, medicine, ceremony and as a place of safety during times of need. Dozens of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm place names and archaeological sites dot the landscape surrounding səmiq̓ʷəʔelə and these slopes, in the words of the Elders, “carry the history” of kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people, ancestors and culture.
The past century of development at Riverview represents a history of loss for kʷikʷəƛ̓əm – the loss of traditional lands, the decline of valued local natural resources, the alteration of culturally and spiritually important places and landscapes and the loss of voice in land management and stewardship decisions.
Today, as səmiq̓ʷəʔelə moves into a new phase of building and revitalization, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm celebrates the efforts undertaken by the Nation and BC Housing to move forward in a new relationship as partners in the rebuilding of səmiq̓ʷəʔelə/Riverview.
Part of the vision for the land is to be a place of healing. In this spirit, BC Housing and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm decided together, as an act of reconciliation, that the land should formally be given a traditional name. The name səmiq̓ʷəʔelə means ‘The Place of the Great Blue Heron,’ given by the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people based on memories of how the land was once widely used as roosting ground for the great blue heron due to its proximity to what was then the floodplain of the Coquitlam River.
In partnership, the Province (through BC Housing) and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm have been implementing a master plan for the site’s redevelopment. The site is being used to provide healing services for people, and it has the potential to touch many more lives through delivery of more mental health services, recognition and preservation of natural features, opening safe and affordable housing and developing a complete community.
səmiq̓wəʔelə is now home to provincial programs supporting people with mental health and substance use needs. həy̓χʷət kʷθə šxʷhəliʔ leləm (Healing Spirit House) opened in 2019 and provides a range of direct residential and community mental health services for young people aged 12 to 17, including 38 beds. θəqiʔ ɫəwʔənəq leləm’ (Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health and Addictions) opened in 2021, adding a further 105 beds to support people struggling with complex and severe mental illness and addiction. Overall, 289 mental health and substance use beds will be available by that time
This site was also first botanical garden in Western Canada, which set the stage for the magnificent park and world-class arboretum that today attracts the community and visitors who treasure this beautiful natural habitat. Riverview also has great significance in the history of health care in British Columbia. The architecture of the main building, the old arboretum, Finnie’s Garden and the cemetery all hold great historic significance for the community and the province.
For further information about the history of the səmiq̓ʷəʔelə / Riverview lands can be found through the following links: https://www.sumiqwuelu.com/about-sumiqwuelu/history or https://www.kwikwetlem.com/sumiqwuelu-riverview.htm#history
For further information on the archaeology and heritage at səmiq̓ʷəʔelə, view: https://www.kwikwetlem.com/sumiqwuelu-riverview.htm#heritage
Assistance with this information was gratefully provided by Kwikwetlem First Nation. Source credit: Kwikwetlem First Nation.
For more information, visit www.kwikwetlem.com
