Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Pitt Meadows is a city in southwestern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and a member municipality in Metro Vancouver. Incorporated in 1914, it has a land area of 85.38 square kilometers and a population of 17,410 (as of 2008).
Geography
Pitt Meadows is largely a flood plain town, sandwiched between the Pitt RiverPitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
on the west and Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
on the east. To the north, Pitt Lake is the largest fresh water tidal lake in the world, connected by the Pitt River
Pitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
to the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
, which is the southern boundary of Pitt Meadows. The Pitt River
Pitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
flows backwards at high tide and has created a delta where it joins the lake. The northern sector of the flood plain, closest to Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake is the second-largest lake in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, being about 53.5 square kilometres in area. It is about 25 km long and about 4.5 km wide at its widest, and is also one of the world's largest tidal lakes, its confluence with the Fraser being only a few miles upstream...
, is largely a peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
bog including a large wildlife refuge.
On the west side of the Pitt River is Port Coquitlam.
Transportation
The main portion of the town of Pitt Meadows is bisected by the CPRCanadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
mainline. As of 2003, the CPR intermodal yards and distribution centre west of the town centre are being expanded.
TransLink's West Coast Express
West Coast Express
West Coast Express is the interregional commuter railway in British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it links Mission, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Port Moody with Waterfront Station in Downtown Vancouver, where it interchanges with SkyTrain rapid transit, SeaBus and...
commuter trains connect Pitt Meadows to Vancouver and Mission
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
.
There are height restrictions on buildings due to the proximity of the Pitt Meadows Airport
Pitt Meadows Airport
Pitt Meadows Airport is a Canadian general aviation airport located in the southwest of corner of Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. In 2010, it was the 18th busiest airport in Canada with 111,724 aircraft movements, down from 2009 when it had 125,409 movements....
to the southeast, although the recent proposal for a 10 story building less than 2 kilometers from the East-West runways puts those restrictions in doubt. In 2003, the airport was undergoing expansion to support scheduled passenger service for short-haul prop-driven planes. The airport is also home to a skydiving school, as well as a number of other businesses.
The Golden Ears Bridge
Golden Ears Bridge
The Golden Ears Bridge is a six-lane extradosed bridge in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. It spans the Fraser River, connecting Langley on the south side with Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge on the north side. The All Electronic Toll bridge, owned by TransLink, has a clearance of , and a total...
, completed in summer of 2009, connects Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
with the communities of Langley and Surrey south across the Fraser River. The bridge is operated as a toll bridge; Translink has stated it would take over 30 years for the bridge to be paid off via tolls. Construction of the new Pitt River Bridge
Pitt River Bridge
The Pitt River Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Pitt River between Port Coquitlam and Pitt Meadows in British Columbia, Canada. The bridge is part of Highway 7, carrying Lougheed Highway across the river...
, connecting Pitt Meadows with Port Coquitlam to the west, was completed in autumn 2009.
Economy
As a primarily residential area, approximately 85% of Pitt Meadows residents commute to work beyond its borders. Within the community, the largest employment sectors are, in order of importance: Primary (20%); Education and Health (19%); Accommodation, Food, and Beverage (16%); and Construction (9%).In addition to the commercial activity that already exists in Pitt Meadows, a new retail shopping centre has been built on the border with Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
. This new shopping center includes a Real Canadian Superstore, Jysk/Winners/Homesense, Michaels, SportChek, Tim Hortons, a Telus retailer, as well as Bell, EB Games, a Liquor Store, a Cineplex Odeon, and a La Vie En Rose. Despite recent additions to its non-agricultural economy, 86% of the Pitt Meadows landmass is located within the province's Agricultural Land Reserve
Agricultural Land Reserve
The Agricultural Land Reserve is a collection of land in the Canadian province of British Columbia in which agriculture is recognized as the priority use. Farming is encouraged and non-agricultural uses are controlled. In total, the ALR covers approximately and includes private and public lands...
.
Major agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
products include cranberry
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
and blueberry
Blueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
farms as well as a number of specialty green-houses growing cut flowers and specialty peppers.
Education
Pitt Meadows has one secondary school, and four elementary schools, all of which are part of School District 42. Pitt Meadows Secondary SchoolPitt Meadows Secondary School
Pitt Meadows Secondary School is a public high school in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, part of School District 42 Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. The school was founded in 1961 and will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with an open house on September 30, 2011.- Academics :While the school has a...
(P.M.S.S.) in particular is well-known around the Fraser Valley and the Greater Vancouver Area for its basketball and hockey programs, some of which can be offered as an alternative to Physical Education. The school also received a field lacrosse
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
team as of early March 2007 for the 2007-2008 season thanks to Mr. Stuart Sonne, PMSS now former Principal. Academically, the school rates more poorly than other schools in the District. Currently, the school has enrolled around 1200 students.
Notable residents
- Elmer Tippe, musician
- Brendan MorrisonBrendan MorrisonBrendan Morrison is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League...
, hockey player - Molly ParkerMolly ParkerMolly Parker is a Canadian actress, notable for her roles in Canadian and American independent films and the HBO television series Deadwood.Parker won a Genie Award in 1997 as Best Actress in a Leading Role for Kissed...
, actress - Devin TownsendDevin TownsendDevin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
, musician
TV and film
Much of the movie Happy GilmoreHappy Gilmore
Happy Gilmore is a 1996 sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds for Universal Studios. It stars Adam Sandler as the title character, an unsuccessful ice hockey player who discovers a talent for golf. The screenplay was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy...
, including most of the golf course scenes, was filmed in Pitt Meadows at the Swan-e-set Bay Resort & Country Club. In the pilot episode of Smallville
Smallville (TV series)
Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
, the scene where the Porsche drives off the bridge was filmed at Silverbridge down Harris Road. The movie Duets
Duets
An original motion picture soundtrack CD was released on September 12, 2000 by Hollywood Records. The CD contained twelve tracks including the original music composed for the film by David Newman....
starring Gwyneth Paltrow & Paul Giamatti had a scene filmed at the Ramada Inn on Lougheed Highway. The movie 3000 Miles to Graceland
3000 Miles to Graceland
3000 Miles to Graceland is a 2001 American crime film, starring Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Bokeem Woodbine, Christian Slater, and Kevin Pollak. It is a story of theft and betrayal, revolving around a plot to rob the Riviera Casino during a convention of Elvis...
was filmed at the a saw mill on Bonson Rd.