02 The story
Coquitlam’s neighbourhood high street
Austin Heights grew up along Austin Avenue on the slope above Maillardville, and it still works the way many older shopping streets do. You can run errands at the bank, grocery store and hardware store, then stop for lunch or coffee, all within a few blocks. The local business association keeps the street active with community events, including the HollyDaze holiday festival in November.
The street’s restaurants reflect Coquitlam’s diversity, with Italian and Indian kitchens sitting alongside delis, bakeries and casual spots from many other cuisines. Many businesses are long-standing and family-run, which gives the area a friendly, unhurried feel.
Parks and recreation nearby
Blue Mountain Park is the main green space, an urban forest with a playground, a spray park and a wading pool that opens in summer. A short walk away, the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex has ice rinks, a pool and fitness spaces, and it is the home rink for junior hockey and lacrosse teams. Mundy Park, Coquitlam’s large forested park, is only a short drive or bike ride to the east.
A neighbourhood in transition
A city plan for Austin Heights encourages new mid-rise and high-rise buildings with shops at street level, and several towers have already gone up along Austin Avenue. That means more residents and new storefronts, though older plazas and low-rise buildings still line much of the street.
Tip: Austin Heights pairs well with Maillardville just downhill. Spend a morning on Austin Avenue, then walk or drive down to Brunette Avenue for a taste of Coquitlam’s francophone history.
