New Westminster residents turned out in droves in the dark for the weekend’s second parade — of sorts — on Saturday night.
Hours after the Hyack International Parade brought the crowds out to New West on Saturday afternoon (May 27), another unofficial celebration took to the streets: the move of a 93-year-old home from the downtown to its new home in the 700-block of Cumberland Street.
Crowds turned out at Royal Avenue and First Street on Saturday evening to bid farewell to the 1930 Henderson House at 112 Royal Ave.
Nickel Bros., which specializes in structural moving, garnered the attention of residents through the city as its crews towed the home on an approximately 2.5-kilometre route along Royal Avenue, down McBride Boulevard, across East Columbia and — perhaps most remarkably of all — up the steep Cumberland Street hill to its final destination.
The move continued through the wee hours of the night and morning.
At every juncture, residents turned out to watch, turning the house move into a middle-of-the-night community celebration as neighbours chatted and recorded the journey — and, in some cases, followed the home along the street as it made its slow but steady progress towards its new property.
The home is now at 709 Cumberland St.
