Coquitlam, British Columbia
Categories: Communities in British Columbia | British Columbia geography stubs
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| Member of Parliament | James Moore (City Centre / Westwood Plateau) (Conservative) Paul Forseth (Burquitlam) (Conservative) | ||||
| Member of the Legislative Assembly | Diane Thorne (NDP) | ||||
| Mayor | Jon Kingsbury | ||||
| Councillors | Kent Becker Fin Donnelly Louella Hollington Mae Reid Bill LeClair Barrie Lynch Diane Thorne Maxine Wilson | ||||
| Population (2005) | 113,498 | ||||
| Immigrant Population | 39,000 (35%) | ||||
| Languages | English(Official) 82% French(Official) 2% Non Official 16% | ||||
| Religion | Protestant 50% Catholic 32% Other 8% No Religion 10% | ||||
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | ||||
Coquitlam is a mid-sized city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, bordering the cities of Burnaby, New Westminster, Port Moody, and Port Coquitlam.
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Geography
Coquitlam is situated near Vancouver, British Columbia (within the Greater Vancouver Regional District) located at 49° North, 122° West. It is where the Coquitlam River connects with the Fraser River.
History
The Coast Salish were to first people to live in this area. The name Coquitlam (Kwayhquitlam) means a little red fish, which is similar to sockeye salmon. Simon Fraser came through the region in 1808, Europeans did not begin settlement until the 1860s.
Coquitlam began as a "place-in-between" since the area was opened up with the construction of North Road in the mid-1800s. While the purpose of the road was to provide Royal Engineers in New Westminster access to the year-round port facilities in Port Moody, the effect was to provide access to the vast area between and to the east.
The history of the early years is one of settlement and agriculture. Growth was slow and steady and, in 1891, the municipality of the District of Coquitlam was officially incorporated.
The young municipality got its first boost in the dying years of the 19th century when Frank Ross and James McLaren opened Fraser Mills, a $350,000, then state-of-the-art lumber mill on the north bank of the Fraser River. By 1908, a mill town of 20 houses, a store, post office, hospital, office block, barber shop and pool hall had grown around the mill.
A year later one of the most significant events in Coquitlam's history took place. Mill owners, in search of workers, turned their attention to the experienced logging culture of Quebec and in 1909 a contingent of 110 French Canadians arrived, recruited for work at Fraser Mills. With the arrival of a second contingent in June 1910, Maillardville was born.
Maillardville, named for Father Maillard, a young Oblate from France, was more than just a French-Canadian enclave in Western Canada. It was a vibrant community, the largest Francophone centre west of Manitoba, and the seed for the future growth of Coquitlam.
While the passing of time has diluted the use of the French language in BC, it is still heard on the streets and in the homes on the south slope of Coquitlam. Maillardville's past is recognized in street names that honour early pioneers and in local redevelopments which reflect its French-Canadian heritage.
Demographics
Because the city is close to Vancouver, there is a wide range of diversity. According to the 2001 Census, the racial population is 66.0% White, 17.8% Chinese, 3.7% Korean, 2.2% Filipino, including many other from the Asian continent.
Education
Coquitlam belongs to British Columbia's School District 43. Schools include Gleneagle Secondary School and Pinetree Secondary School.
Trivia
- The name Coquitlam is derived from a Coast Salish term meaning "the little red fish".
- Famous Canadian musician and activist Matthew Good is from Coquitlam. He graduated from Centennial Secondary School in 1989.
- Female model and host of MTV Select and G4TechTV Amanda Mackay also attended Centennial where she started her journalism career writing for the school's student newspaper, The Catalyst.
- Vancouver-based playwright and activist Sean Cook teaches English and Creative Writing at Centennial.
- Canadian women's national soccer player Brittany Timko attended Centennial.
- Spoken word artist Nathaniel K. Wolfe attended Centennial.
See also
- Canada
- Province of British Columbia
- Greater Vancouver Regional District
- School District 43
- Place des Arts