|
History
of the Tri City Area.
Development
of the Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody region began
with the British Columbia gold rush of 1858.
Colonel
R. C. Moody arrived at Mary Hill with 400 Royal Engineers
to establish a provincial capital. This site was rejected
in favor of New Westminster for defense reasons.
In
1859, the Royal Engineers built North Road from New Westminster
to Burrard Inlet for land access to the inlet, which forms
the boundary between the City of Coquitlam and the City
of Burnaby today. The Pitt River road was also constructed
under Colonel Moody to link New Westminster to Westminster
Junction (now Port Coquitlam City Center).
This
roadway followed the present day Matheson Street, Brunette
and Cape Horn Avenues. Initially, the Royal Engineers claimed
much of the land adjoining these thoroughfares.
In
1863, they were recalled to England, leaving only a few
enlisted men as settlers. The first major boom in the region
occurred in 1885, in anticipation of the location of the
C. P. Rail terminus at Burrard Inlet.
It
was expected that a major port would develop there and the
area was referred to as Port Moody.
In
1891, the entire region, with exception of Port Moody, was
incorporated as the District Municipality of Coquitlam.
The word "Coquitlam" has its origins to the Burrard Inlet
Indians who spoke the language T-Komaynum.
In
1905, the provincial government expropriated 1000 acres
of land in Essondale (now called Colony Farm) on the Coquitlam
River, to establish a residential care facility for mental
health patients.
In
1911, another boom was developing in the region: The first
hospital was under construction at Essondale; the Vancouver
Golf Club was building a golf course in Burquitlam; and
CPR was proposing a major expansion of its facilities in
Westminster Junction including a shipyard at the mouth of
the Pitt River.
There
was much speculation in land and the Municipality of
Coquitlam
invested heavily in the development of new streets and
sidewalks, costing more than $200,000. At the height
of the boom,
in March 1913, Westminster Junction seceded from Coquitlam
and took the name Port Coquitlam, assuming 5/8 of municipal
debt. The purpose of this division was to avoid subsidization
of larger, underdeveloped areas with the city's new found
wealth.
Likewise,
that same month, Canada Western Lumber Company incorporated
their lands on the Fraser River as the District Municipality
of Fraser Mills to retain tax revenue for company development.
The City of Port Moody was also incorporated in March 1913.
Coquitlam was left with the bulk of the land but with little
development.
Within
eight years, the boom turned into a bust and the new City
of Port Coquitlam was nearly bankrupt. From the outbreak
of World War I through 1922, the city suffered a series
of disasters. Land reverted to the city for taxes, the
shipyard had closed and two major fires decimated the downtown
area in successive years.
For
the next thirty years, the region languished with the exception
of residential development in Coquitlam and slow industrial
growth in Port Moody. By 1951, the population of Port Moody
was only 2,200. The City of Port Coquitlam had 3,200 residents
(barely the number at incorporation) and Coquitlam had 15,700
people. The post-war era signaled an explosive period of
growth for the region, especially in the residential sector.
Clusters
of small business developed quickly in Coquitlam while the
city centers in Port Coquitlam and Port Moody enjoyed a
renewed vitality. Within 20 years, the population of Coquitlam
had swelled to more than 50,000 people while Port Coquitlam
boomed to over 20,000. Port Moody grew to a population
of over 10,000 and continued to expand its industrial base.
In Coquitlam, through legislation in 1971, the local and
provincial governments moved to bring about an amalgamation
of Coquitlam and Fraser Mills.
Information
compiled by and provide courtesy of
The Tri-City
Chamber of Commerce
TOP
|
