Museum exhibit explores century-old damage to Coquitlam River

Early pioneers weren't kind to the Coquitlam River, which winds its way through Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.

From gravel mining to dam construction, the river has been transformed over the decades and no longer produces sockeye salmon in great numbers as it once did.

Yet, there is hope, if people care enough to make a difference.

At least that's the sentiment behind the newest Carol Hubbard Memorial Natural History Exhibit on now at the PoCo Heritage Museum and Archives.

"The fish is what we were building the exhibit around," explained Alex Code, manager and curator of PoCo Heritage Museum and Archives, located at The Outlet at Leigh Square (150-2248 McAllister Ave.). 

"Mainly we wanted to showcase the environmental history of the river."

The Coquitlam River is a tributary of the Fraser River and the river's name comes from kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) which translates to "Red fish up the river," a term that recalls the teaming mass of fish that once called the river home.

Because of the dam, constructed in 1905, fish can not return to Coquitlam Lake to spawn although the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation are working on a restoration plan.

Educational exhibit

In the museum's year-long educational exhibit, story boards, hands on games, artwork, displays and video tell the story of environmental destruction on the river and efforts by stewardship groups to repair the damage.

Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the hands-on exhibit was produced in partnership with Stream of Dreams, the Maple Creek Stream Keepers, Our Lady of the Assumption School, and Art Focus Artists’ Association.

For Jeff Rudd and Shelley Livesey of the Maple Creek Streamkeepers, the exhibit is a stark reminder of the worst of human excess on the river.

"Somebody screwed up," is how Livesey describes the values of the day that permitted gravel mining that altered the structure of the river.

In newspaper headlines from the 1970s and 1990s, the river was described as one of the most endangered.

At one point, there were even plans to dig a canal from the Pitt River to Burrard Inlet to make Port Coquitlam more of a port.

The city had a burgeoning ship-building industry but it didn't last much past WWI and the canal plan was abandoned.

Now, the streamkeepers say they hope the exhibit inspires others to get involved in stewardship activities to help rebuild Maple Creek.

"We need more young people to join these efforts," Livesey said.

Today, the lack of rain is hindering salmon from returning to local creeks to spawn.

Rudd said there are currently chum salmon in the Coquitlam River, according to recent reports, but rain is needed to fill creeks so they can spawn upstream.

"We are praying for rain," he said.

Members of the public and school tours are welcome to visit the exhibit.

For more information or to arrange a tour, you're encouraged to contact the PoCo museum at [email protected].