History

History of Coquitlam District

The following information contained in this page would not be possible if it were not for the help from the following people.  Our thanks goes out to them for their present and past dedication to scouting:

Jim Buckley (1st Coquitlam), Ed Morrissey (1st Coquitlam), Wyn Mudge (16th Coquitlam), Frank Cooper(9th Coquitlam), Dr. Cliff Olson, Mark Coleman(10th Coquitlam), Eva Round, Sid Sydorak, Dave Insley(10th Coquitlam), John Cuming(8th Coquitlam), and Isbel Nebel and to anyone I’ve missed, thank you. This information has been documented as best as possible, keeping in mind that most of the scouters in this time period have gone Home.

As we celebrate the new Millennium we will be celebrating 52 years of scouting in Coquitlam, SO LET’S CELEBRATE!

Coquitlam District began as part of the Fraser-Burrard District to include Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Ioco and the municipality of Fraser Mills. The local association re-formed to include only Port Coquitlam and the District of Coquitlam on March 16, 1954. The District was further re-organised into the Coquitlam District Council and the Port Coquitlam District Council on April 7, 1960.
1st Coquitlam was our first group whose charter(#502) was granted to District of Coquitlam Kinsmen Club May 1947. 2nd Coquitlam was next whose charter is dated January 2, 1948. Both 1st and 2nd Coquitlam met at the Coquitlam Scout Hall after 1960 when the hall was finished. Prior to 1960 1st Coquitlam cubs met at Mundy School and scouts met at Como Lake United Church. The groups that joined next are as follows:

GROUP	MEETING LOCATION	CHARTER DATE
3rd Coquitlam	Miller Park School	18 June 1953
4th Coquitlam	Cubs-Alderson School;
	Scouts BP School	24 May 1957
5th Coquitlam	Mundy School; St Andrews Church	6 August 1958
6th Coquitlam	Parkland School; Harbourview Sch ool	13 August 1959 folded 10/1984
7th Coquitlam	Mountainview school	15 September 1959
8th Coquitlam	Millside School	21 February 1961 folded 1974
9th Coquitlam	Good Shepherd Church	18 May 1961 folded
10th Coquitlam	Mountainview -Sea Scout group	19 October 1961
11th Coquitlam	Como Lake United Church	30 December 1963
12th Coquitlam		24 January 1966
13th Coquitlam	Brookmere school	1964 folded 1967
14th Coquitlam	Hillcrest School	21 April 1967
15th Coquitlam	Rochester School	1969
16th Coquitlam	Burquitlam school	1971 folded 1977
17th Coquitlam		1972 folded 1975
(2nd Coquitlam operated under 17th Coquitlam’s charter 1973-1974)
Ranch Park	Ranch Park school	1963 started in Port Moody as their 7th group; joined Coquitlam in 1977.
Coquitlam Kinsmen	Glen School	1986
Falconridge	LDS Church	1988

There was also 101st Coquitlam formed June 1980 but their charter was re-issued to 1st West Langley. Additional charters were held by:

• Millside Parents Group -Charter FV113 dated November 1974; folded 1976
• Rochester School Group -Charter FV45 folded 1985
• St Lawrence Church -Charter FV115 with colony dated October 1974; folded 1977
• Vanier Group -charter FV41 dated 1971; folded 1977

The current scout hall was opened in 1960 built by 1st and 2nd Coquitlam groups. A possible dispute over who should own the scout hall caused it to be sold to the City for a dollar. As well there had been discussions by region on getting Port Moody to join the district as Central Coquitlam. With 12 groups formed by 1967, the district became too large and region had it divided into East Coquitlam and West Coquitlam. Any groups east of Gatensbury were East Coquitlam and the others to the west were West Coquitlam. This division lasted from 1967 to 1978.

Coquitlam was host to many district camporees, enjoying the fact that one didn’t have to go very far to go camping or do other outdoor activities. Johnson Street area above Coquitlam Centre made for a great wilderness setting! Como Lake ended at Schoolhouse Street and Charles Best School site was the local landfull site as well as a Christmas Tree lot in December. One of the many district events was an annual Steak Out the first Saturday in June. Cost for a steak, spud, an ear of corn, ice cream and drink was $3.50 or instead of steak, chicken for $2.50, netting a profit of $1500-$2500.00! This paid for the $4.00 district registration fee. An article ran in The Province dated Wed 27 Feb 1974:

STEAK PARTY

One of the most popular and swinging events of the year for youngsters and adults in the Lower Fraser Valley is the annual barbeque steak out held June 1 in Coquitlam’s Blue Mountain Park.

It is a joint effort of all the Scouting groups in East and West Coquitlam who elect a chairman and executive each year to ensure that the affair goes with a swing. Fires are set up about 9:00am and cooking starts in the afternoon. Those who attend each chooses a steak and has it cooked to his liking. There also are barbequed chicken, hotdogs, and all the trimmings.

Some info on the individual groups:

• 2nd Coquitlam ran until 1985 where it folded until being re-instated in 1995.
• 4th Coquitlam -in the 1960’s had 160 youth in its group with a waiting list. It was unfortunate that due to this group getting so large the district split the group and soon after that, it folded.
• 5th Coquitlam – had a troop of 32 and a pack of 32 as well
• 10th Coquitlam – was the only Sea Scout group in the district. They had two boats.
• 15th Coquitlam – Became inactive in 1973 until its re-instatement in Sept 1992.

A 2nd Coquitlam Rover Crew designed our current district badge.  They decided that other districts had a badge and so Coquitlam should have one as well. This Rover Crew researched the significance of the name COQUITLAM by going to one of the local 1st Nations Bands. They learned that Coquitlam means “Little Pink Salmon”. Sid Sydorak along with the Rover Crew presented the Coquitlam badge to Harry Monk who was the District Commissioner at that time for approval. Our district badge has virtually remained the same since its creation.

An interesting well-known Pioneer in Coquitlam was Jimmy Christmas who was District Commissioner in 1961.

Here’s to another 50 years of great Scouting in Coquitlam!