Coquitlam residents interested in learning more about their community can find a treasure trove of City history online.
COQUITLAM, B.C., June 8, 2020 – Coquitlam residents interested in learning more about their community can find a treasure trove of City history online.
With International Archives Week taking place June 8 to 14, the community is encouraged to peruse the City Archives webpages at www.coquitlam.ca/archives for fascinating online exhibits and records of events, activities and people that shaped the community.
Quarterly Online Exhibits
The Archives website features 11 online exhibits on a variety of topics. The City’s Archives staff produce a new exhibit each quarter, mining the Archives for insightful and sometimes quirky stories about Coquitlam’s past. Some exhibits also share information about new acquisitions and highlight upcoming events.
Each online exhibit marries engaging text with scans of documents, maps and photos to bring the subjects to life. Online visitors can while away a pleasant afternoon learning about Coquitlam’s First World War soldiers, the City’s changing boundaries, the local business that was Canada’s first plywood producer, early scrapbooking efforts, Coquitlam’s May Day tradition, Colony Farm’s Holstein herd, the Westwood racing circuit, the history of Coquitlam Centre and the story of psychiatric nursing at Essondale, among other topics.
Search the Archives
For those with specific research topics in mind, the Quest online search portal provides free access to a vast array of civic and community records, photos, documents and data. Hundreds of documents and photos are added to the database each year. The portal is linked through the Archives webpage or can be accessed directly through http://searcharchives.coquitlam.ca.
Research Appointments at the Archives
Coquitlam’s Archives were founded in 2013 and moved from City Hall to a larger location at 1171 Pinetree Way in early 2019.
Original archival records are not lent out, but can be browsed at the Archives. As part of the City’s phased reopening plan, appointments at the Archives will be available again starting on June 22, 2020. Please contact archives@coquitlam.ca to make an appointment.
Free WiFi
Those wishing to enjoy both the outdoors and a virtual visit to the Archives can take advantage of the free WiFi available in many City parks (see map at www.coquitlam.ca/wifi). The free WiFi allows Coquitlam residents to get outdoors and remain socially connected while being able to access information and participate in the City’s free CoquitlamSPIRIT and other virtual programming.
About International Archives Day and Week
The International Council on Archives created International Archives Day in 2007 to raise the awareness of the public and decision-makers about the importance of archives. It later grew into International Archives Week with seven days of events based on an annual theme (Empowering Knowledge Societies in 2020). Visit the Events & Resources section at www.ica.org for more information.
About the City of Coquitlam Archives
The City of Coquitlam Archives serves a dual purpose: to preserve and to make accessible. Since the inception of the archives program, Coquitlam has been raising its profile to encourage people to use its services and discover the trove of records in the collection. Other outreach includes weekly #TBT posts on the City’s social media platforms and a small collection of historic photos at www.historypin.org.
For more information about the City of Coquitlam Archives and to view the online exhibits, visit www.coquitlam.ca/archives.