New Westminster

New Westminster is just South of Burnaby and West of Port Moody. It is located on the Fraser River across from Surrey. Part of the city (Queensborough) is located on Lulu Island adjacent to Richmond.

New Westminster is a historically significant city having competed to be the province’s capital. Its museum and archives are housed in Irving house one of the oldest homes in metro Vancouver. In keeping with its historic presence, New Westminster is home to Paddle Wheeler Riverboat Adventures, a company, which provides a variety of river tours on an authentic paddle wheeler.

New Westminster has many parks and recreational areas including the Canada Games pool, Queens Park, Crosstown Greenway, Sapperton Landing Park and Glenbrook Ravine Park.

This city is also well known by brides for its wedding dress shops on “bridal alley” located along Columbia Street in downtown New Westminster.

Transit

New Westminster has an integrated transit system run by Translink. It includes:

• Buses – Translink bus service includes, North and West Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows, Richmond, Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley and Aldergrove
• Skytrain – A light Rail Transit system that includes four routes, although some stops overlap.
  • Expo Line – Travels between Waterfront Station in Vancouver and King George Station in Surrey passing through South Burnaby and New Westminster.
  • Millennium Line – Travels between Waterfront Station in Vancouver and VCC-Clark Station in Vancouver passing through south Burnaby, New Westminster and North Burnaby.
  • Canada Line (Richmond – Brighouse) – Travels between Waterfront Station and Richmond-Brighouse Station. It travels under the Cambie Corridor and stops near the BC Cancer Agency and Vancouver General Hospital
  • Canada Line (YVR) – Travels between Waterfront Station and the airport. There is an additional five-dollar charge if travelling past Bridgeport on this train (check with Translink for exemptions).
• Seabus – A ferry that travels between Waterfront Station in Vancouver and Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver.
• West Coast Express – A commuter rail service that runs Monday to Friday during peak morning and evening hours. It travels between Mission and Waterfront Station in Vancouver in the mornings and in the opposite direction in the evenings.

Translink’s service area is divided into zones:

Zone 1: Vancouver

Zone 2: West and North Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, and Richmond

Zone 3: All other service areas

When traveling with Translink there are several fare options.

• Employer Passes – some of the hospitals have employer passes that you can join but they require a minimum one-year commitment.
• Monthly passes (FareCard)– These can be purchased at any FareDealer and offer a discount over purchasing daily fare. You can purchase them for travel in one, two or three zones. These provide for unlimited travel within the selected zone(s). Should you need to travel farther than the zone purchased you can purchase an AddFare on the bus (exact change only) or from a ticket vending machine at any station. Fares for West Coast Express must be purchased separately. On Sundays and Statutory Holidays you can use your FareCard to take five other riders with you for free. A total of six riders are allowed: Two adults (14 and older) and up to four children (13 and under) can ride on a single Adult FareCard, West Coast Express 28-day Pass, or Annual Employer Transit Pass.

* Resident Tip: Save your monthly passes, because you could be eligible for a federal tax credit

• DayPass – This option provides unlimited travel on the day purchased in all zones. You can purchase it at any Fare Dealer or ticket vending machines in any station. This can be used as a credit towards the purchase of a West Coast Express fare.
• FareSaver Tickets – These are a book of ten TransLink tickets that can be used on the Bus, Seabus or Skytrain. You can purchase them at any FareDealer. They offer savings over buying single fares. They last for 90 minutes and can be purchased for one, tow or three zones. You must validate these when you use them, this can be done on the bus or at any station.
• Single Fares – Can be purchased on the bus (exact change only) or at any station. They provide 90 minutes of travel within the purchased zone.
  • Concession fares – Children under 4 are free when accompanied by an adult. Children aged 5 to 13 pay a concession price as do adults weekdays after 6:30 p.m. and all day Saturday, Sunday and Statutory holidays pay a reduced price.

There is one option that is not available to you that you may hear about:

• U-Pass – UBC has a program for its students to provide transit savings, however as a resident you are classed as a learner so that you only pay registration fees not tuition. You are however entitled to some UBC perks such as a library card.

Hospitals

Royal Columbian Hospital – 330 East Columbia Street

Grocery Stores

• Denny’s Farm Market – 706 6^th Street
• Donald’s Market – 130-810 Quayside Drive
• Galloway’s Specialty Foods – 702 6^th Avenue
• Save on Foods – 555 6^th Street
• Thrifty Foods – 270 East Columbia Street

Restaurants

• Anny’s Dairy Bar – 722 6^th Street
• Burger Burger – 4-340 6^th Street
• Cockney Kings Fish & Chips – 1035 Columbia Street
• Go Thai Restaurant – 502 East Columbia Street
• Kirin Sushi – 31 8^th Street
• Tamarind hill Malaysian Cuisine – 628 6^th Avenue

Shopping

• Queensborough Landing – 805 Boyd Street
• Columbia Square Plaza – 101-78 10th Street
• Royal City Centre Mall – 610 6th Street
• The Plaza – 800 Carnarvon Street
• Paper Poet (Art Supplies/Cards and Stationary) – 665 Columbia Street

Drycleaners/Laundromats

• Happy Coin Laundry – 430 East Columbia Street
• New Venture Coin Laundry – 409B 8^th Street
• Nuwest Coin Laundry & Dry Cleaners – 1120 5^th Avenue
• Royal Square Coin Laundry – 800 McBride Boulevard
• Star Cleaners – 407 8^th Street

Gyms/Fitness Centres

• Bikram Yoga College of India – 428 Columbia Street
• Dynamic Health and Fitness – 610 6^th Street
• Fitxpress Fitness Centres – 606 Victoria Street
• Taylor’d Bodies (Fitness Studio) – 480 East Columbia Street

Childcare

• Cambridge Montessori Children’s Centre – 57 7^th Avenue (Weekdays) (30 months – 12 years)
• Elsa’s Family Child Care – 734 13^th Street (Weekdays with extended hours [after 7pm])
• For Kids Only Family Day Care – 322 Keary Street (Weekdays)
• Happy Family Childcare – 533 14^th Street (Weekdays)
• Kid’s Korner Out of School Care – 120 8^th Street (Weekdays) (School Aged)

**Please use the childcare search available online to find the right care for your needs. PAR-BC has not preformed any checks on the above providers and is not endorsing them over their competitors; it is for informational purposes only.**

**This is a small sample of what is available in the area for information purposes. PAR-BC is not endorsing these companies over their competitors.**