03 About Port Coquitlam
A river city with railway roots
Port Coquitlam lies on land long used by the Kwikwetlem and other Coast Salish peoples, at the meeting of the Coquitlam and Pitt rivers just above the Fraser. European settlers began farming beside the Pitt River in the mid-1800s, but the city really took shape when the Canadian Pacific Railway made Westminster Junction a key point on its line. Port Coquitlam incorporated as a city in 1913, and rail yards still run through the middle of town today.
For much of the 20th century PoCo was a working town of farms, rail jobs and modest homes. It has grown into a suburban city of townhouses and family neighbourhoods, but it has kept a small-town feel, especially along Shaughnessy Street downtown.
Terry Fox’s hometown
Port Coquitlam is proudly the hometown of Terry Fox, who grew up here before his 1980 Marathon of Hope. His legacy is everywhere: a secondary school bears his name, the city holds a hometown Terry Fox Run each September, and the Port Coquitlam Community Centre features a plaza, exhibit and sculptures in his honour.
Trails and rivers
The city’s best-known outdoor feature is the Traboulay PoCo Trail, a loop of about 25 km that circles the city along the Coquitlam River, the Pitt River, Hyde Creek and DeBoville Slough. Walkers, cyclists and horseback riders share its gravel and paved sections, and it is a good place to spot eagles, herons and, in the fall, spawning salmon. Gates Park, Lions Park and the riverfront boardwalk at Citadel Landing are popular stops along the way.
Getting a feel for the city
Start downtown around City Hall and Leigh Square, then pick a direction. Citadel Heights and Mary Hill are quiet, established areas in the south, while Riverwood in the north backs onto creeks, sloughs and the Pitt River. Big-box shopping clusters near the Pitt River Bridge, and Coquitlam Centre is only minutes away to the west.
