New Westminster Environmental Almanac (2917 ... - Douglas College

Historical Land Use
Historical Land Use
An Overview of Industrial Development in the Royal City
By Archie and Dale Miller of A Sense
of History Research Services Inc.
New Westminster was founded in 1859 as the result of the discovery of
gold along the Fraser River. The influx of prospectors and others created
a need for a mainland centre for government services, communications,
law and order, taxation, and so on, throughout the Colony. New
Westminster rapidly grew to become the mercantile centre of the
Mainland, retaining this position for many years even after the founding
of Vancouver.
In many communities, the waterfront, if there was one, became the focus
of industry. There were several reasons for this: ease of both incoming
and outgoing transportation, less expensive land which could be covered
with decking and wharves, and the water which provided an efficient
industrial waste disposal site. This was especially true if the industry was
situated on a river or tidal water. Industry and business controlled most
of early New Westminster’s waterfront, and it wasn’t until the mid 1980s
that the focus began to change and residential, community, and ancillary
uses changed the City’s riverfront.
The community’s industrial heritage can be easily outlined, starting at
the City’s upriver boundary and proceeding downstream. The area from
the mouth of the Brunette River to the Coquitlam border, has had
industrial uses since the community’s earliest days. The primary
industrial uses included, among many others, lumber mills and the wood
industry, foundries, a glass factory, a slaughterhouse. Just inland from
this site there has been a brewery for many years and there used to be a
distillery as well. This has always been a heavily used industrial area.
From the mouth of the Brunette River to the bridges, except for the large
area in front of the Royal Engineers’ Camp/BC Penitentiary site, now
Sapperton Landing, has had a number of industrial enterprises as well. A
couple of small fish canneries, a small saw mill, and a major cannery
specializing in fruit and vegetables, were in this stretch of waterfront.
Prior to the new park, but after the Pen closed in 1980, a number of small
businesses occupied this area.
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