Coquitlam’s southwest waterfront will gain a substantial public amenity as part of the Fraser Mills redevelopment: a roughly 60,000-square-foot community and aquatic centre that the city says will serve the new high-density neighbourhood being built by developer Beedie Living.
Facility design and features
Preliminary conceptual renderings released by the city and developer show a riverfront complex located at the foot of King Edward Street, immediately south of the Trans‑Canada Highway and the area that contains IKEA and Cineplex, and west of the Great Canadian Casino Vancouver. The facility will sit adjacent to an event-friendly public plaza on the Fraser River.
- Aquatic amenities: a 25‑metre, five‑lane lap pool and a leisure pool with waterslides.
- Recreation spaces: a full‑size gymnasium, fitness centre, multipurpose rooms and casual gathering areas.
- Architecture: extensive use of mass‑timber and a large glass façade to bring in natural light and reflect the site’s sawmill history.
Funding and timeline
The city will own and operate the completed facility. The centre will be funded and built by Beedie Living as part of the Fraser Mills development in exchange for approved market density and uses on the 96‑acre former industrial waterfront site.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Site | Fraser Mills, 96 acres (former sawmill) |
| Size | Approximately 60,000 sq ft |
| Pools | 25 m five‑lane lap pool; leisure pool with waterslides |
| Construction start | Expected 2028 |
| Expected completion | 2031 |
Heritage, materials and public benefit
Designers plan to lean on mass‑timber for both performance and aesthetic reasons, framing the material choice as a reference to the site’s industrial past as a sawmill while also aiming to create a warm public interior. An extensive glass façade is intended to capitalise on the site’s southern orientation and bring ample natural light into the building.
“Through our partnership with Beedie, we’re creating more than new amenities — we’re creating a place that celebrates the history of the Fraser Mills site while looking ahead to the future of Coquitlam’s waterfront,” said Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart.
The facility forms a core component of the Fraser Mills neighbourhood that Beedie Living is developing on the former sawmill property. The project represents a trade‑off common in municipal development agreements: the private developer will deliver and fund a major public amenity in exchange for increased market density and permitted land uses.
For residents, the centre should offer expanded recreation options not just for the Fraser Mills community but for the broader southwest Coquitlam area once it opens. Construction is not slated to begin until 2028, with full public operation expected after the facility’s completion in 2031; until then, finer points of programming, membership, and operating budgets will be determined by the city as the project advances through detailed design and approvals.
