Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Coquitlam (Canada). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Como Lake, Lafarge Lake, and Minnekhada Regional Park. Also, be sure to include Evergreen Cultural Centre in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Coquitlam (British Columbia).
Table of Contents
Como Lake
Lake in British Columbia, Canada. Como Lake is a small lake in Como Lake Park in the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia.
It forms the headwaters of the Como watershed and is an urban fishing and recreation area in the city of Coquitlam as well as the Lower Mainland.
The lake is very popular with joggers and walkers, the trail around the lake being 1 km in length. There are small stocked rainbow trout, carp, and catfish living in the lake.[1]
Lafarge Lake
Lake in British Columbia, Canada. Lafarge Lake is a five-hectare man-made lake, located in Town Centre Park in central Coquitlam, British Columbia. The Evergreen Cultural Centre lies on the southwest corner of the lake, and the Water's Edge Festival is held on the lake shore for 25 continuous hours in March.
The area was originally a quarry, but in the 1970s the land was transferred to the city of Coquitlam, and a successful reclamation project ensued.
The lake is home to many species of waterfowl, as well as beavers, common carp, brown bullhead, bluegill, and is stocked with rainbow trout in the spring and fall.[2]
Address: 1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
Minnekhada Regional Park
Park in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Minnekhada Regional Park is a natural park situated in northeast Coquitlam, British Columbia, alongside Pitt-Addington Marsh and the Pitt River. It is over 200 hectares in size, and features trails, rock knolls, abundant trees, birds and other wildlife. At the centre of the park is the main marsh area, divided into upper and lower sections, divided by a dike and small footbridge.
There are two main entrances to the park with parking facilities. The Quarry Road entrance serves as the primary trail access point for hikers and bird watchers. The Oliver Road entrance provides access to Minnekhada Lodge, as well as access to some of the trails. There is a secondary entrance in the northwest corner of the park, further north of the Quarry Road entrance, but there is no parking at this location.
There are three primary trails through the park that follow an eastern trajectory towards the Pitt-Addington Marsh boundary:
- Quarry Trail
- Mid-Marsh Trail
- Lodge/Fern Trails
There are five lookout points in the park. Of these, Low Knoll with its full view of the lower marsh, and High Knoll with its 600 ft (180 m). elevation and view of the Pitt River and Pitt Meadows beyond, are among the most popular. A full perimeter trail hike through Quarry Trail, Fern Trail, and Lodge Trail covers a distance of 5.2 km (this does not include excursions to lookout points such as High Knoll and Low Knoll).
Minnekhada Regional Park is a designated Wildlife Watch site.[3]
Evergreen Cultural Centre
Theatre in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The Evergreen Cultural Centre is a community gathering place for performing and visual arts activities in Coquitlam, British Columbia, opened in October 1996 by former Coquitlam Mayor Lou Sekora. The design team was headed by Thom Weeks of Architectura, and the contract was completed by Proscenium Architecture.
The Centre features a 257-seat black box theatre (with configurable seating from stadium to flat floor), a fully equipped rehearsal hall, four art studios, and a 1,500-square-foot (140 m2) art gallery. The Centre is owned by the City of Coquitlam and operated by the Evergreen Cultural Centre Society, a nonprofit organization. Evergreen Cultural Centre is located in Coquitlam's Town Centre Park, overlooking Lafarge Lake.
Programming at the Evergreen Cultural Centre includes live theatre, comedy, musical concerts, family programming, visual arts workshops, gallery programs, and more. The facility serves as the home theatre for the Stage 43 Theatrical Society, and is also part of the Arts Club Theatre Company circuit that brings popular plays to the venue. The Centre is the home venue for the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble and the Coastal Sound Music Academy.
A second 750-seat auditorium has been planned, but has yet to be funded.[4]
Address: 1205 Pinetree Way, V3B 7Y3 Coquitlam
Hard Rock Casino Vancouver
Casino in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Hard Rock Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam, British Columbia is the largest casino in the province of British Columbia by gaming space. The casino is open 24 hours a day, is owned by Great Canadian Gaming, and features:
- 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2) casino
- 1000 slot machines
- 70 table games including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps, etc.
- Poker room (5 tables)
- High-limit room with 10 tables for baccarat and 2 private tables.
- 1,600-vehicle 6-level parkade as well as an outside parking lot.
According to their 2006-07 annual report, Boulevard Casino was the third most profitable gaming venue in B.C. bringing in more than $158 million for the year (up $28.9 million over the previous year). The increase is attributed to the new show theatre, where the casino sees up to 5,000 guests on show nights.
The funding agreement with the province means the casino must give 10% of its net take to the city of Coquitlam. In 2010 Coquitlam received $8.2 million, which the city put into a community group fund and into major capital projects, such as the new Chimo Aquatic and Fitness Centre in 2008, the Percy Perry Stadium renovation in 2009, the Coquitlam Sports Centre renovation in 2010, and the new City Centre Public Library in 2011.
The casino re-branded itself as Hard Rock Casino Vancouver on December 20, 2013 after an agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida which owns the Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. and is the legal the franchisor and owner of the Hard Rock brand.[5]
Address: Coquitlam, 2080 United Boulevard, Coquitlam, British Columbia, V3K 6W3
Coquitlam City Hall
City or town hall in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Coquitlam City Hall is the home of Coquitlam City Council in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. It is located at the intersection of Pinetree Way and Guildford Way in the Town Centre neighbourhood.
City Hall is part of a two-building complex built in the campus, the other being Public Safety Building which houses the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) detachment.
Both buildings were designed by Grant & Sinclair Architects Limited and completed in 2001.[6]
Address: 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam
Town Centre Park
Park in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Town Centre Park is a park in central Coquitlam, British Columbia, just north of the Coquitlam Centre shopping mall. The park is surrounded by Coquitlam's city hall, main police station, main fire hall, City Centre Aquatic Complex, and the David Lam campus of Douglas College, Pinetree Secondary School, as well as many houses and apartments.
The Park was originally a gravel pit owned by Lafarge. It was created in the mid-1980s when the company donated Lafarge Lake to the City of Coquitlam.
The park saw the addition of beach volleyball courts in 2005, and a $10 million expansion in 2006-07 which saw the building of two additional synthetic FieldTurf fields, the conversion of two existing fields to FieldTurf, new areas for shot put, javelin, and discus/hammer throw, and new parking lots.
The southwest corner of the Park is host to the Lafarge Lake–Douglas Station terminus of the area's new Evergreen Extension of the Millennium Line Skytrain rapid transit, which opened in late 2016.
Town Centre Park hosts Coquitlam's annual Lights At Lafarge Winter Light Display.[7]
Address: Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
Maillardville
Maillardville is a community on the south slope of the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.[8]
Coquitlam Public Library
Public library. Coquitlam Public Library is a public library that serves Coquitlam, British Columbia.[9]
Address: 1169 Pinetree Way, V3B 0Y1 Coquitlam
MThree
Condominium in Coquitlam, British Columbia. MThree is a 129.8 meter tall high-rise condominium in the Town Centre neighbourhood of Coquitlam, British Columbia. At 48 floors, it was the tallest building in Coquitlam, and the Tri-Cities, surpassing Oasis, and was completed in 2016.[10]
Pinecone Burke Provincial Park
Provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. Pinecone Burke Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It extends from the southwest corner of Garibaldi Provincial Park, west of Pitt Lake and Pitt River to include Burke Mountain in the City of Coquitlam. Most of the park is unserviced wilderness with very rough trails such as the Fools Gold Trail in the Boise Valley. There is canoe access to Widgeon Slough and from there hiking trails that lead to Widgeon Lake, and a network of old logging roads, hiking and mountain biking trails on Burke Mountain.[11]