Two Generations of Homes in One Walkable Neighbourhood

Garrison Crossing is unlike any other part of Chilliwack. It was built on the grounds of the former Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, and the plan kept much of the old base street layout while adding new homes, walking paths and a small commercial village. Walk a few blocks and you'll pass restored military-era houses, newer single-family homes on compact lots, and townhouse rows.

Those two generations of housing need different things. A restored base house may have been updated inside but still carries the bones of an older building. A home built in the 2000s or later is tighter and newer, but its original furnace, air conditioner or water heater may now be reaching the age when repairs start to add up. We help owners in both situations make sensible choices.

Home Services in Garrison Crossing

Heating

Many newer homes here came with a gas furnace as standard. We keep them running and replace them when it's time, sized to the home rather than the old unit.

Cooling

Compact lots and two-storey layouts mean upstairs rooms can get warm in summer. Central air or a heat pump can even things out.

Heat Pumps & Mini-Splits

Heat pumps are a natural fit for this neighbourhood's mix of homes. In restored houses where ductwork is limited, a ductless system can heat and cool without opening up walls.

Water Heaters & Plumbing

Original hot water tanks in homes from the first build-out are worth keeping an eye on. Tankless units suit homes with small utility rooms.

Indoor Air Quality

UV lights inside the air handler are one option for homeowners who want extra treatment of the air moving through their ducts.

UV light installation

Electrical

Plenty of homes here have a driveway or lane-access garage that suits an EV charger.

EV charger installation

From Army Base to Neighbourhood: What It Means for Your Home

The base, long known as the "Home of the Engineers," closed in the 1990s. Canada Lands Company acquired the land from the Department of National Defence in 2001, and work on the 61-hectare (153-acre) redevelopment began in October 2003. The neighbourhood was planned around "new urbanism" ideas: a central boulevard, narrow traffic-calmed streets, and paths that let people walk to the school, the community centre and Garrison Village shops. Sappers Way and the Legacy Walk markers recall the military years, and the project received an Urban Development Institute Award for Excellence in 2007 in the master planned community category.

Two parts of that history matter most for home systems. First, the plan restored 149 of the old married quarters. These homes are much older than the houses around them, and older buildings tend to have less insulation, simpler ductwork and electrical service that was planned for a different era. Before adding a heat pump or air conditioning to one of these homes, it's worth checking panel capacity and whether the existing ducts can carry the airflow a modern system needs.

Second, the rest of Garrison Crossing was built over a fairly short stretch of years starting in the 2000s. That means a lot of homes here have furnaces, AC units and water heaters of similar age, and many of them are reaching the point where owners start weighing repair against replacement. It's a good time to compare options, since a heat pump can replace both a furnace and an air conditioner in one project.

Setting plays a part too. Garrison Crossing sits on the valley floor close to the Vedder River, in the part of Chilliwack that gets wet, mild winters and the occasional blast of cold outflow wind down the Fraser Valley. Compact homes with shared walls tend to hold heat well, but end units and upper floors can feel those cold, windy days more.

Working With Rep-Air in Garrison Crossing

Rep-Air is a locally owned company based in Mission. Owner Justin McIntyre holds his Red Seal in HVACR and a Class B gasfitter ticket, and brings 15+ years in the trade to every job we plan.

Garrison Crossing has a lot of townhouse and strata housing, and our Community Comfort Program is designed for those communities, helping councils and owners plan upgrades together.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed weekends.
A $189 service fee applies to service calls and is waived if you go ahead with the quoted work.
Free estimates for new or replacement systems.
Daikin and Haier equipment, with Financeit financing available.

Book a Visit in Garrison Crossing

Ready to talk about your home? Contact us for service or request a free quote for a new system. Learn more on our Chilliwack service area page, or see neighbouring Vedder Crossing.

Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical in Garrison Crossing, BC