Queensborough, New Westminster

Last updated

Queensborough
Koonspa
Neighbourhood of New Westminster
Poplar Island and Fraser River, New Westminster - panoramio.jpg
Queensborough in foreground
Map of Queensborough within New Westminster.png
Location of Queensborough shown in red
15 Metro Vancouver Regional District British Columbia.svg
Red pog.svg
Queensborough
Location of Queensborough within Metro Vancouver
Coordinates: 49°11′00″N122°56′00″W / 49.18333°N 122.93333°W / 49.18333; -122.93333
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
Region Lower Mainland
Regional District Metro Vancouver
City New Westminster
Incorporated1911
Government
   Mayor Patrick Johnstone
   MP (Fed.) Peter Julian (NDP)
   MLA (Prov.) Aman Singh (BC NDP)
Population
 (2016)
  Total8,727 [1]
Time zone UTC−8 (PST)
  Summer (DST) UTC−7 (PDT)

Queensborough is a neighbourhood in the city of New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. It is on the eastern tip of Lulu Island on the Fraser River. [2]

Contents

At the north end of Queensborough is a new development called Port Royal. To the south is Thompson's Landing, to the west is the industrial area of Tree Island, and to the east is the Fraser River. Access to Annacis Island, an industrial park area and site of one of the GVRD's sewage plants, is via a bridge towards the east end of Queensborough, though the island itself is not part of the City of New Westminster.

History

Queensborough was the name originally chosen for the colonial capital by Royal Engineers Commander Colonel Richard Clement Moody. Queen Victoria designated New Westminster instead of Queensborough as her new capital's name. In the 1860s, a survey of Lulu Island by the Royal Engineers resulted in the eastern tip of the island being designated a military reserve for the defense of New Westminster. This portion of land was not incorporated into the new Township of Richmond in 1879. Instead the rapidly growing City of New Westminster annexed the area in 1889. The City received title to the entire Military Reserve from the Provincial Government and it decided to subdivide the area for sale in 1890. A bridge was constructed to reach the area from the Mainland and the lands sold at auction.

The name Queensborough for this neighbourhood of the City was formally established in 1911 when the Queensborough Post Office was opened by early community leader and Italian immigrant Anthony Sprice. [3] In the Chinook Jargon, it is said that an adaption of the name Queensborough – "Koonspa" – is the usual name for New Westminster as a whole. [4]

With its many lumber mills and canneries the area became a focus of new immigrants looking for employment and cheap lots to establish family homes. These early groups built their own cultural halls, churches and had many different mutual aid societies. However, the entire community united at time under the Queensborough Ratepayers Association founded in 1911. This group continues to operate and is often cited as the oldest ratepayers association in British Columbia. Early immigrants came from Asia and Europe; including the Japanese, Chinese, Indians, Italians, Greeks, Slovaks, Ukrainians, and Finns. The community grew slowly but developed a unique sense of place because of its unique cultural composition.

Queensborough Bridge Queensborough Bridge.jpg
Queensborough Bridge

Queensborough is today a growing suburban district with a rapidly redeveloped waterfront area known as Port Royal. Queensborough is connected to the rest of New Westminster by the Queensborough Bridge and Annacis Island in Delta by the Derwent Way Bridge. Furthermore, the city of New Westminster has also implemented a ferry service that takes city inhabitants and tourists from Port Royal in Queensborough to the Westminster Quay. [5] It is served by Highway 91A. Many new homes in the area are built to resemble old heritage-style homes.

In the heart of Queensborough is Ryall Park. This is also where Queensborough Community Centre is located. The park has several features which include playgrounds, a spray park and Boro All Wheel Park (a skatepark and a bike park). Renovations are currently under way converting Ryall's bike park section of Boro All Wheel Park into an off-leash park for dogs. This park will be split and will have designated areas for small dogs, and all other dogs. Queensborough Middle School and Queen Elizabeth Elementary School are also located in the same park-block.

In 2004 a shopping centre called Queensborough Landing was built.

Demographics

Queensborough Sikh temple, 1931 GurdwaraSukhSagar1931.jpg
Queensborough Sikh temple, 1931

A legacy of early 20th century settlement, the neighbourhood has a large South Asian population. In recent decades the European and East Asian population have grown with the area witnessing increasing residential development and infill. In the 1960s, there were many new European immigrants; Italians, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian and Russian. In the 1970s, Asian immigration increased; a new wave of Indian immigrants settled in the area, along with Chinese and Filipino newcomers.[ citation needed ]

Ethnic groups in Queensborough (2016) [1] Population %
Ethnic group European 2,840
South Asian 2,370
East Asian 1,620
Southeast Asian 1,470
Aboriginal 225
Black 155
Latin American 120
Middle Eastern 75
Other160
Total population8,727

Education

One elementary school, Queen Elizabeth Elementary School, and one middle school, Queensborough Middle School, are located in the neighbourhood.

A Library and community centre were also recently opened. The community centre has a newly renovated exercise area and a gymnasium where local residents partake in physical games.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond, British Columbia</span> City in British Columbia, Canada

Richmond is a city in the coastal Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. It occupies almost the entirety of Lulu Island, between the two estuarine distributaries of the Fraser River. Encompassing the adjacent Sea Island and several other smaller islands and uninhabited islets to its north and south, it neighbours Vancouver and Burnaby on the Burrard Peninsula to the north, New Westminster and Annacis Island to the east, Delta to the south, and the Strait of Georgia to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnaby</span> City in British Columbia, Canada

Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard Inlet with its Indian Arm to the north, Port Moody and Coquitlam to the east, New Westminster and Surrey across the Fraser River to the southeast, and Richmond on the Lulu Island to the southwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Westminster</span> City in British Columbia, Canada

New Westminster is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia in 1858 and continued in that role until the Mainland and Island colonies were merged in 1866. It was the British Columbia Mainland's largest city from that year until it was passed in population by Vancouver during the first decade of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta, British Columbia</span> City in Canada

Delta is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, as part of Greater Vancouver. Located on the Fraser Lowland south of Fraser River's south arm, it is bordered by the city of Richmond on the Lulu Island to the north, New Westminster to the northeast, Surrey to the east, the Boundary Bay and the American pene-exclave Point Roberts to the south, and the Strait of Georgia to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West End, Vancouver</span> Neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

The West End is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, located between the Coal Harbour neighbourhood and the financial and central business districts of Downtown Vancouver to the east, Stanley Park to the northwest, the English Bay to the west, and Kitsilano to the southwest across the False Creek opening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Columbia Electric Railway</span>

The British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) was an historic railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Originally the parent company for, and later a division of, BC Electric Company, the BCER assumed control of existing streetcar and interurban lines in southwestern British Columbia in 1897, and operated the electric railway systems in the region until the last interurban service was discontinued in 1958. During and after the streetcar era, BC Electric also ran bus and trolleybus systems in Greater Vancouver and bus service in Greater Victoria; these systems subsequently became part of BC Transit, and the routes in Greater Vancouver eventually came under the control of TransLink. Trolley buses still run in the City of Vancouver with one line extending into Burnaby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queensborough Bridge</span> Bridge in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

Queensborough Bridge is a highway bridge in New Westminster, British Columbia. It was built in 1960 by John Laing and Son (Canada) for the City of New Westminster and cost $4 million. The bridge spans the north arm of the Fraser River for road access from the main part of New Westminster to the suburb of Queensborough at the east end of Lulu Island, giving the bridge its name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Moody</span> City in British Columbia, Canada

Port Moody is a city in British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It envelops the east end of Burrard Inlet and is the smallest of the Tri-Cities, bordered by Coquitlam on the east and south and by Burnaby on the west. The villages of Belcarra and Anmore, along with the rugged Coast Mountains, lie to the northwest and north, respectively. It is named for Richard Clement Moody, the first lieutenant governor of the Colony of British Columbia.

For thousands of years the area that is today known as Steveston was home to the Halq’eméylem speaking peoples. Specifically, the area is said to be home to at least two Musqueam villages. One known as qʷeyaʔχʷ was located East of what is today known as Garry Point Park. This community was forced out of their homes due to pressure from the canneries who would replace their homes with fishing camps. The second village, qʷɬeyəm, is believed to have been located North of Moncton Street near Railway Avenue. Today, Musqueam's presence in the history of what is today known as Steveston is heavily underrepresented. As Musqueam Councillor Howard Grant explains, there is "almost nothing with respect to Musqueam people... or First Nations in general." Richmond is currently working to change this as, "recently, city council voted to rebuild the historic First Nations Bunkhouse in Britannia Heritage Shipyards--believed to be the only structure of its kind remaining along B.C.'s coast."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Delta</span> Neighbourhood of Delta in Lower Mainland, British Columbia, Canada

North Delta is a largely middle-class commuter town situated in the Lower Mainland, of British Columbia, Canada. The community is the most populous of the three communities that make up the City of Delta. North Delta is home to numerous parks and recreational opportunities. Alongside North Delta is Burns Bog, the largest raised urban peat bog in North America. As well, Watershed Park provides walking and biking trails, home to many artesian aquifers. Besides this, North Delta is home to a large amount of green-space. As of the 2016 census, North Delta has a population of 56,017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lulu Island</span> Island of the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada

Lulu Island is the name of the largest island in the estuary of the Fraser River, located south of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and the second-most populous island in British Columbia, after Vancouver Island. The city of Richmond occupies most of the island, while a small section at the eastern tip, known as Queensborough, is part of the city of New Westminster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milliken, Ontario</span> Neighbourhood in Ontario, Canada

Milliken and Milliken Mills are neighbourhoods in the cities of Toronto and Markham. Milliken is situated in the north west section of Scarborough, whereas Milliken Mills is situated in the south-central portions of Markham. The neighbourhoods are centered on Kennedy Road and Steeles Avenue, the latter street serving as the boundary between the cities of Markham and Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marpole</span> Neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Marpole, originally a Musqueam village named c̓əsnaʔəm, is a mostly residential neighbourhood of 23,832 in 2011, located on the southern edge of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, immediately northeast of Vancouver International Airport, and is approximately bordered by Angus Drive to the west, 57th Avenue to the north, Ontario Street to the east and the Fraser River to the south. It has undergone many changes in the 20th century, with the influx of traffic and development associated with the construction of the Oak Street Bridge and the Arthur Laing Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea Island (British Columbia)</span> Island in the Fraser River estuary in the city of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

Sea Island is an island in the Fraser River estuary in the city of Richmond, British Columbia. It is located south of the city of Vancouver and north and west of Lulu Island. Sea Island is the home to Vancouver International Airport (YVR), a nature conservation area, and a permanent resident population of 814, most of which live in the neighbourhood of Burkeville. A small part of the island is under the administration of the Musqueam Indian Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annacis Island</span> Island in British Columbia, Canada

Annacis Island is a narrow island under the jurisdiction of City of Delta in Lower Mainland, British Columbia, located just downstream of the south arm of the Fraser River bifurcation between Lulu Island to the north and the Delta peninsula to the south. The island is now mostly an industrial zone, and contains one of Metro Vancouver's secondary wastewater treatment plants, the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. The island is also home to the British Columbia Institute of Technology's Annacis Island campus.

The Annacis Island Swing Bridge, built in 1986, is a road and rail swing bridge over the Annacis Channel of the Fraser River in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. The bridge connects the community of Queensborough, part of New Westminster on Lulu Island, to Annacis Island in Delta.

School District 40 New Westminster is a school district based in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

Queensborough or Queensboro may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian Canadians</span> Ethnic group in Canada

Asian Canadians are Canadians who were either born in or can trace their ancestry to the continent of Asia. Canadians with Asian ancestry comprise both the largest and fastest growing group in Canada, after European Canadians, forming approximately 20.2 percent of the Canadian population as of 2021. Most Asian Canadians are concentrated in the urban areas of Southern Ontario, Southwestern British Columbia, Central Alberta, and other large Canadian cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punjabi Canadians</span> Canadian people of Punjabi descent

Punjabi Canadians number approximately 950,000 and account for roughly 2.6% of Canada's population, as per the 2021 Canadian census. Their heritage originates wholly or partly from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.

References

  1. 1 2 "Census Profile, 2016 Census – 9330200.00 [Census tract], British Columbia and Vancouver [Census metropolitan area], British Columbia". 8 February 2017.
  2. "Queensborough (community)". BC Geographical Names .
  3. "New Westminster Archives Results Page".
  4. A Voice Great Within Us, Charles Lillard and Terry Glavin, Transmontanus Books
  5. "Quayside to Queensborough Ferry Back & Running All Summer Long!". Tourism New West. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2020.