Pitt Meadows - city in southwestern British Columbia, Canada

Pitt Meadows is a city of 18,500 people (2016) in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, on the north bank of the Fraser River at the confluence with the Pitt River. It's part of the urban edge, where bedroom housing for suburban Vancouver is displacing the small agricultural town of Pitt Meadows past — but the farms hang on.

Understand

The Municipality takes its name from the Pitt River and Pitt Lake, which were possibly named after former British Prime Minister William Pitt.

Aboriginal people resided in the Pitt Meadows area approximately 1000 years ago. James McMillan explored the area in 1874. Europeans started a settlement known as Bonson's Landing in the area in the 1870s. Early settlers were mostly Anglo-Saxon until after 1910.

In 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railway was constructed through Pitt Meadows to Port Moody, British Columbia. In 1893, the first dyking district was organized. In 1914, Pitt Meadows was a small, agricultural community of less than 250 individuals which supplied Vancouver and New Westminster with produce and dairy products.

After 1910, many French Canadians and Japanese arrived as settlers. A large group of Dutch farmers reclaimed much of the low-lying land in Pitt Meadows after World War II.

Get in

See Vancouver for options to get in the Vancouver area by plane, by bus, and by train, and by boat.

By car

The most convenient access is by car, with two options. The first is by the Lougheed Highway over the Pitt River Bridge from Port Coquitlam. The second option is by the Golden Ears Bridge, a toll bridge that links with 200th St. in Langley and Highway 1.

By plane

• Pitt Meadows Regional Airport (ICAO CYPK), 100-11465 Baynes Road, 49.2161°, -122.713°, +1-604-465-8977, cypk@pittmeadowsairport.com. 24h, daily. Has no scheduled commercial service, but the 4700' main and shorter secondary runways make a pleasant destination for the general aviation pilot flying a small plane. No landing fee

Get around

By public transit

TransLink, +1-604-953-3333. The main public transit network in the Vancouver area, including: Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Lions Bay, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver, and White Rock. Its network includes buses, SkyTrain (rail rapid transit), SeaBus (ferries), West Coast Express (commuter rail), and HandyDART (door-to-door shared-ride service for those who cannot ride public transit without assistance).

Passengers can pay for fares using Compass Cards ($6 refundable deposit), Compass Tickets, or tap-to-pay using contactless credit cards (only American Express, Mastercard or Visa) or mobile wallets. Passengers using Compass Cards and Compass Tickets pay discounted fares. Passengers can transfer for up to 90 minutes, except if taking West Coast Express, in which case they can transfer for up to 120 minutes. On bus and HandyDART, passengers can also pay in cash, but in that case will not receive change and are not eligible for transfers.

Zone based fares apply between Monday and Friday for trips starting before 6:30 pm, if travel involves SkyTrain or SeaBus. Outside of those hours or for travel on only bus or HandyDART, a single zone rate applies. If traveling by West Coast Express, a higher cost zone based fare system applies regardless of time of travel.

Children 12 and under can ride for free. People aged 13 to 18, and 65 and older pay discounted concession fares. 2022-03-27

By bus

Route #701 is a major route that connects Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, and Maple Ridge.

By West Coast Express

West Coast Express commuter rail service operates on weekdays, which goes in to Vancouver in the morning and back out in the evening.

By taxi

• Alouette Taxi, +1 604-465-5555. 2022-07-27

By ride hailing

• Kabu. 2022-07-29
• Lyft. 2022-07-29
• Uber. 2022-07-29

See

A Heritage Preservation Area contains several buildings of significant heritage value, including the old General Store (now the Pitt Meadows Museum) and Hoffman and Sons Garage.

• Pitt Lake, 49.3527°, -122.5982°. A short distance north of town, reaching into a steep valley where BC's mountains meet the Fraser Valley. Rent kayaks to explore the lake. 2020-05-30
• Pitt Meadows Museum and Archives, 12294 Harris Road and 12277 Harris Rd, 49.22582°, -122.68911°, +1 604 465 4322, Pittmeadowsmuseum@telus.net. W The Su 1PM-4PM. The Pitt Meadows Museum is made up of two sites, the Old General Store and the Hoffmann and Son Machine Shop, across Harris Road from each other just to the south of the CPR tracks. The General Store and Post Office Site (1908) is a heritage building and the oldest known structure in Pitt Meadows. The General Store houses permanent and temporary exhibits that tell the story of the early to more recent settlement history of Pitt Meadows. The building also houses a small community archives and reference library. The Hoffmann and Son Site is in an old machine shop that houses a collection of related tools, more than 60 restored stationary engines, and a working forge. 2018-05-06

Do

• Blue Heron Winery tasting, 18539 Dewdney Trunk Rd (Lougheed Hwy east from Pitt River Bridge, left onto Dewdney Trunk Road, between Reichenbach and Rippington Roads), 49.246101°, -122.707512°, +1-604-465-5563, info@blueheronwinery.ca. 10AM-6PM daily. White and red cranberry wine, and other fruit wines. Wine tasting and sales, with tours by appointment. Free 2022-03-17
• Pacific Rim Aviation Academy, 393-11465 Baynes Rd (on the south side of Pitt Meadows Airport, via Ford Road and Harris Road), 49.21181°, -122.70078°, +1-604-465-3594, pacrimav@telus.net. 8AM-6PM daily and by appointment. The exuberant Chris Georgas and his staff offer pilot training, including Private Pilot, Commercial Pilot, and Instrument ratings in land and float planes. The fleet is small but immaculate, and the attention is personal. A great place to learn how to fly! Based at CYPK, Pitt Meadows Regional Airport. 2022-03-17

Buy

• Meadowtown Shopping Centre, 19800 Lougheed Highway, 49.2219°, -122.6718°, +1 604 602-7711. 32 stores including Jysk, Winner's and Superstore. 2018-05-06

Eat

• The Firehall Bistro, 104-19237 122a Ave, 49.22478°, -122.68844°, +1 604-460-7779. M-F noon-2PM; M-Th 6PM-10PM; F Sa 5PM-10PM; Su 5PM-9PM. Mains from $25 2018-05-06
• Stomping Grounds Cafe Bistro, 49.20161°, -122.68093°, +1 604-460-0111. 10931 Barnston View Rd. Coffees, brunch ($9-14), sandwiches ($11-13), Peruvian dishes 2018-05-06
• Austin Fish & Chips, 19180 Lougheed Highway, 49.22991°, -122.69046°, +1 604-460-9999. M-Th Sa 11AM-8PM; F 11AM-9PM; Su 4PM-8PM. 2018-05-06

Drink

• The Jolly Coachman Pub & Liquor Store, 19167 Ford Road (intersection at Harris Road & Ford Road), 49.22254°, -122.69047°, +1-604-465-9911, info@jollycoachman.com. Su-Th 11AM-midnight; F Sa 11AM-1AM. The Jolly Coachman is an English Tudor-style sports pub, well known for its great food and its atmosphere. A mix of traditional pub fare and gourmet food, a fireplace in the winter and a patio in the summer, and sports onnthe TVs. 2022-03-17

Sleep

• Best Western Plus Pitt Meadows Inn & Suites, 19267 Lougheed Hwy, 49.23102°, -122.68788°, +1 604-460-9859. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. Seasonal outdoor pool, indoor hot tub, fitness centre, free continental breakfast. Guest rooms have free WiFi, mini-refrigerator, and microwave. From $113 2018-05-06

Connect

Go next

• Fly Guy Air Taxi service, 393-11465 Baynes Road (on the south side of Pitt Meadows Airport, via Ford Road and Harris Road), +1-604-465-3594, pacrimav@telus.net. Charter flights to Vancouver Island or anywhere in the Lower Mainland. A service of Pacific Rim Aviation Academy (see listing under "Do"). $149/person to Vancouver Island 2022-03-17
• Nearby towns of Mission, Maple Ridge, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, and Coquitlam
• Langley on the south bank of the Fraser River