Power House — Burnaby, BC
Posted by: 
Dunbar Loop
N 49° 13.016 W 122° 57.702
10U E 502789 N 5451572
While nothing remains of this site other than the electric railway's right-of-way, this site was important to Burnaby and much of southwestern British Columbia for public transportation and electricity generation.
Waymark Code: WM16Z4X
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 11/04/2022
Views: 3
The Westminster and Vancouver Tramway Company was the first interurban railway linking two cities in North America. Running from New Westminster on the Fraser River to Vancouver on Burrard Inlet, the railway helped develop many neighbourhoods in Vancouver and Burnaby, as well as the upper areas of New Westminster.
This company eventually became the BC Electric Railway and during that period of time greatly expanded service. With two hubs, one in Vancouver and the other in New Westminster, it had electric railways running as far south as Steveston and as far east as Chilliwack. And it also operated the interurban railway from Victoria to the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula.
In addition, it had run city streetcar systems in Victoria, Vancouver, New Westminster, and North Vancouver.
But by the 1950s the interurbans and streetcars disappeared to be replaced by buses and trolleybuses. The electric arm of the company became today’s BC Hydro. Meanwhile, the transportation part became TransLink and BC Transit.
This site is not just important to Burnaby but to much of southwestern British Columbia as well as most of the province.
POWER HOUSE
In 1891 the Westminster and Vancouver Tramway Company which was building a tramline along the route now used for the BC Parkway and SkyTrain built the first power house on this site. Utilizing water from Power House Creek, coal and cordwood fired the electric plant housed in the large corrugated iron clad building which doubled as a car barn. The plant’s steam engines turned the Edison electric generators that powered the entire tramline and streetcar system in New Westminster.
Adjacent to the power house, a small company town of cottages and a large boarding house was built for those working on the tramline. This was the site for political gatherings of local residents and property owners. After successfully petitioning the Provincial Government, a municipal charter was granted on September 22, 1892, and Burnaby’s citizens elected the first Mayor and Council at a meeting held in the Power House.
City of Burnaby
Heritage Site