Ladner Village gets a new waterfront gathering space with the opening of Chisholm Street Wharf

Ladner Village has a new public space on the Fraser River waterfront. The City of Delta opened the refurbished Chisholm Street Wharf on November 9, 2026, completing a project that Council approved in July 2025 and that has been years in planning.

Mayor Melissa Granum said in the City's opening announcement: "Ladner's waterfront is a special part of our community, and this renewed space gives people more ways to enjoy it. Whether you are meeting a friend for coffee, enjoying a performance, or simply taking in the view of the Fraser River, I hope the Chisholm Street Wharf becomes a place where everyone feels welcome and connected to the Village and its local businesses."

What is at the wharf

The City's November 9 news release describes a site with multiple levels and uses. Stepped seating runs along the base of the wharf so people can sit near the water. Flexible gathering spaces are designed for public use and city programming throughout the year. Improved lighting extends the usable hours into the evening, and natural landscaping runs along the dike pathway connecting the wharf to the broader Ladner Village area.

An elevated viewing point gives an unobstructed view of the Fraser River. The design was built with wheelchair and stroller accessibility as a primary consideration, with varied elevations reachable without steps where needed.

The City says it will announce programming and events at the wharf in the coming months. The site also includes space designated for a future concession.

How the design was shaped by residents

The City's news release says the project was "informed by public feedback." The letstalk.delta.ca revitalization page for Ladner Village shows that the City ran community engagement throughout the project. The North Delta Reporter's August 1, 2025 report on the final design approval noted the project incorporated enhanced accessibility features and flexible gathering spaces that reflect what residents asked for in the design process. Council approved the updated design on July 28, 2025.

The North Delta Reporter's March 2026 report noted that the 2026 Ladner Village Revitalization Action Plan was presented to council on February 23, 2026, with the wharf construction then already underway. The plan covered progress on all seven revitalization projects and sought continued public input on the roadway and brand projects still in earlier stages.

How the project came to be

The Chisholm Street Wharf is part of a seven-project revitalization plan for Ladner Village that the 2021 Ladner Village Renewal Advisory Committee recommended. Delta Council endorsed the Ladner Village Action Plan framework in October 2024, following community engagement that began in 2019.

Council approved the updated design for the Chisholm Street Wharf on July 28, 2025, the North Delta Reporter reported that August. The City issued a request for construction proposals in August 2025 and construction began in fall 2025. The original target completion date was spring 2026; the wharf opened November 9.

The other projects in the revitalization

The Chisholm Street Wharf is the second major waterfront project to be completed in Ladner Village. The Elliott Street Wharf received improvements in July 2025, adding floating kayak docking, upgraded dock ramps, and reconfigured parking to support commercial uses like kayak rentals, boat tours, and food trucks.

The City's revitalization page on letstalk.delta.ca describes six additional projects identified for the village. Chisholm Street Roadway Upgrades are in a community feedback phase: the preliminary design looks at a more pedestrian-focused street with one-way westbound traffic, angled parking, and a multi-use pathway connecting the village to the waterfront. A Ladner Village brand identity project gathered feedback in early 2026.

The Ladner Village Market continues to operate under the For the Love of Local Foundation, with programming running through the year.

A mixed-use tourism accommodation project occupies a 1.2-acre City-owned site. The City explored a pop-up park on the land in 2026 after a request for development proposals did not produce a successful submission.

What comes next

The City plans to announce programming and events at the new wharf. The North Delta Reporter's March 2026 report on the annual revitalization action plan noted council received an update on February 23 that year on the full range of projects, with several still moving toward completion.

The Chisholm Street Roadway Upgrades, which would change how vehicles and people move between the village and the waterfront, were still in a feedback phase as of early 2026. The preliminary design explores a one-way westbound configuration for Chisholm Street, with angled parking and a multi-use pathway. The City has not published a timeline for a construction decision.

Mayor Granum's council took office on November 2, 2026, two weeks before the wharf opened. The new council inherited the final phase of the project from the previous council, which had approved the design and started construction. The City's first announcement from the new council on this file was the November 9 opening.

Residents can follow the revitalization projects and give feedback at letstalk.delta.ca/Ladner-Village. The Chisholm Street Wharf is open to the public now.