Queensborough, British Columbia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

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.^[1]

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. 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.^{[citation needed]} 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 included the Japanese, Chinese, East Indians or Sikhs, Italians, Greeks, Slovakians, Ukrainians and Finnish peoples. The community grew slowly but developed a unique sense of place because of its unique cultural composition.
Queensborough is today a growing suburban district with a rapidly redeveloped waterfront area known as Port Royal. It also served as the inspiration for the song Sparks which is written and performed by the English band Coldplay^{[citation needed]}. The song is featured on the band's debut album Parachutes. Queensborough connected to the rest of New Westminster by the Queensborough Bridge and Annacis Island in Delta by the Derwent Way Bridge. It is served by Highway 91A.