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Bradner

Bradner is a community in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, located in the city’s rural northwest section, which also encompasses Mount Lehman. Bradner is located on a bluff above the Fraser River, directly across which are the communities of Silverdale, which is part of the District of Mission, and Ruskin, which is on the border between Mission and Maple Ridge. The Langley rural area of Glen Valley is located on the floodplain below to the west, while Matsqui Village is located on the floodplain to the east, which is known as Matsqui Prairie. Bradner was previously part of the District of Matsqui, which was merged into the City of Abbotsford in 1995.

Bradner was named after Thomas Bradner, an early pioneer in the area who established a homestead there in 1895. Bradner was designated as a post office in 1912, and Bradner became a station on the British Columbia Electric Railway interurban line from New Westminster to Chilliwack following its extension in 1910. Bradner is almost entirely agricultural in character, and is known for its annual exhibition of blossoms, as the crops in the area are primarily floral, particularly daffodils, a legacy of the many farmers of Dutch ancestry who helped establish the agricultural business in the area.

Mr. Fenwick Fatkin, a recent Vancouver settler, wanted other area farmers to promote their daffodils in 1928, and this was the humble origins of the famed annual Flower Show. Initially, only ten different types of daffodils were on show. There are now over 400, some of which are still of the Fatkin variety.

The annual May Day procession is another important celebration in the Bradner community. Each year, a sixth-grade student is chosen to be the May Queen. The first May King was elected in 2009. Hunter was elected as the first May King in 2009. This sparked significant debate in the community because custom was not being followed.

Bradner also publishes a monthly local newspaper. The Bradner Barker is delivered once a month during the academic year. It frequently includes material produced by Bradner Elementary pupils.