Maple Ridge

About: Maple Ridge District, incorporated in 1874, is a fast growing community with a population of 73,000 people. Situated on the shores of Fraser River and nestled against the Coast Mountains, Maple Ridge retains its small town feel nestled within the surrounding farmland yet being a suburb of Vancouver allowing access to all the features of the big city.

Location: Maple Ridge is located 45 kms east of Vancouver, 25 mins to Mission and 40 mins to Abbotsford and US border. It's a 20 minute drive to Coquitlam Centre and/or the Freeway into Vancouver.To the North there are the mountains with Golden Ears park. To the east - the Fraser Valley.  

Leisure & Entertainment: Maple Ridge has become a year-round centre of festivals and festivities like the Jazz and Blues Festival, Caribbean Music Festival, Maple Ridge Country Fest and the Santa Claus Parade. It offers the ACT, performing arts centre, state-of-the-art leisure/youth centre complex, library and indoors ice and curling rinks.

Parks & Lakes: Golden Ears Provincial Park, Albion Fairgrounds and over 30 other parks including 2 water parks. Allouette, Mike's and Whonnock Lakes offer great fishing and swimming activities. Maple Ridge also offers 6 golf courses.

Shopping: Save on Foods, Extra Foods, Cooper's Foods, London Drugs, Shoppers Drug Mart, Zellers, Liquidation World, Haney Place Mall, Valley Fair Mall, Rona and numerous shopping plazas.

Education: Public schools include 18 Elementary Schools (at least 4 of which are French Immersion), 5 High (Secondary) Schools. For more information visit www.sd42.ca. If you're interested in private education for your child you have a choice between 4 institutions: Meadowridge School, James Cameron School, Maple Ridge Christian School and St.Patrick School. There is also a Ridge Meadows College.

New: The Golden Ears Bridge is a new six-lane bridge between Langley and Surrey on the south side and Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows on the north side crossing the Fraser River. The new bridge, owned by TransLink, has clearance of 40 metres, and with a span of 968 m (3175 ft.), this is the longest extradosed bridge in North America.

Real Estate: Maple Ridge real estate market offers a variety of housing options with a lot of newly constructed homes at affordable prices. From acreages, farmland and estate areas to affordable condo, townhouses and homes with easy access to all amenities, Golden Ears Park and numerous trails. It's a perfect place to raise your family. It is still one of the most affordable communities in the Greater Vancouver area.

Pitt Meadows

About: The District of Pitt Meadows was incorporated in 1914 and borders Maple Ridge on the west side and Port Coquitlam on the east. The population numbers approximately 13,800. Agriculture is vital to the area and its residents. Pitt Meadows farmers grow a variety of crops but are most famous for specialty crops such as blueberries, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries. The Pitt Meadows Airport is the only airport in the Fraser Valley that is located on the north side of the Fraser River. It offers a variety of services, including daily flights to Victoria, charter flights, helicopter rides, flying and parachuting lessons and sightseeing tours. There is also seaplane access.

Location: Pitt Meadows is considered the "Gateway" to the Fraser Valley and is 40 mins by West Coast Express passenger train service and 1 hour by car from Vancouver's downtown area and Stanley Park. It's a 15 minute drive to Coquitlam Centre and/or the Freeway into Vancouver. It is situated on the north side of the Fraser River at its junction with the Pitt River.

Leisure & Entertainment: The library, leisure centre, Cineplex movie theatre. The natural topography and physical features support boating, canoeing, water-skiing, fishing, swimming, bird-watching, cycling, walking and horse-back riding. The dikes along the river provide an extensive trail system for your enjoyment. There are many waterways to use and discover.

Parks & Lakes: There is approximately 10 parks, a water park and 1 outdoor swimming pool in Pitt Meadows. Pitt Lake, on the City's northern boundary, is the largest tidal lake in North America. The three golf courses are the Pitt Meadows Golf Club, Golden Eagle Golf Club, Meadow Gardens Golf Club and the Swan-E-Set Bay Resort.

Shopping: Superstore, IGA, Safeway, Winners, Homesense, Michaels, Petcetera, Pier One, Jysk, Canadian Tire, Staples and numerous shopping plazas.

Schools: 4 Elementary Schools and 1 High (Secondary) School. For more information visit www.sd42.ca. For higher education there is a Ridge Meadows College.

Future Projects: The Pitt River Crossing is part of a long-term initiative to improve highways in Greater Vancouver. The Pitt River Bridge and Mary Hill Interchange Project include a proposed new bridge that will replace the existing swing bridges and an interchange to replace the current Lougheed Highway and Mary Hill Bypass intersection.The new bridge, proposed to be located between the existing bridges, will have three lanes of westbound traffic and four lanes of eastbound traffic. It will provide up to 16 meters of marine clearance and facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.

Real Estate: Pitt Meadows real estate market has experienced a rapid growth during the past years. In 2009 we will see continued development of a corporate business park, retail centres, additional commercial centre expansion and several residential developments. As Maple Ridge's real estate market it offers a great mix of older and newly constructed homes.

Port Coquitlam

About: Incorporated as a municipality in 1913, Port Coquitlam has a small-town spirit and big-city connections with population of  57,000 people. Coquitlam borders it on the north, the Coquitlam River borders it on the west, and the cities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows lie across the Pitt River. Port Coquitlam is almost entirely bisected by a Canadian Pacific Railway yard with two underpass crossings. Port Coquitlam is often referred to as "PoCo."

Location: Located 27 km east of Vancouver, it sits at the confluence of the Fraser River and the Pitt River. Port Coquitlam is also centrally located within the Lower Mainland, with easy access to Vancouver via road, transit and commuter rail links. It's located 10 mins away from Coquitlam Centre and mins from major freeways like Lougheed Hwy and Mary Hill Bypass.

Leisure & Entertainment: Port Coquitlam is a home to festivities like BIA Harvest Festival, Hyde Creek Salmon Festival and May Day. PoCo's residents can enjoy swimming at the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre and skating in the Port Coquitlam Recreation Complex. The Gathering Place supports the introduction of festivals, an open-air market, outdoor concerts or a craft fair.

Education: Public school system includes 15 Elementary Schools and 2 Secondary (High) Schools. For more information visit www.sd42.ca. Among private schools are Archbishop Carney Secondary, British Columbia Christian Academy, Hope Lutheran School, Our Lady of the Assumption School.

Parks & Lakes: PoCo's residents have access to more than 266 hectares of parkland and an extensive system of outdoor trails perfect for cycling, hiking and leisurely walks. A 25 km hiking and biking trail, known as the Traboulay PoCo Trail, completely surrounds the city. There is 1 golf course - Carnoustie Golf Club.

Shopping: Safeway, Cooper's Foods, save on Foods, Costco, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Home Outfitters, Michael's, Sport Mart, Dominion Triangle, PoCo Place Mall, Shaughnessy Station Mall and other small shopping plazas.

Future Projects: Now under construction and to be completed in 2009, the Coast Meridian Overpass will be a critical new transportation link between north and south Port Coquitlam and for the entire region. It will add a 3rd north-south transportation link across the Canadian Pacific Railway yard, improve access to community facilities, reduce air pollution caused by idling vehicles and reduce congestion on Lougheed Highway.

Real Estate: Port Coquitlam's real estate market offers a wide variety of single detached and multifamily homes. Though being an older town PoCo has a good selection of newly constructed apartments, townhomes and homes.