Uncovering Downtown New West’s Historic Front Street
Located across the majestic Riverfront, the brand-new and much-anticipated Front Street Mews ignites an invigorating crescendo in the heart of New Westminster.
Set against the backdrop of heritage buildings, the newly vitalized area adorned with vibrant greenery and chic street furniture is both inviting and intimate. Paired with our unique local businesses, Front Street offers a Downtown shopping experience like no other!
As the first capital of British Columbia, New Westminster – especially its Downtown core, served as the main commercial shopping and service center for locals and travellers that visited from all across the Fraser Valley.
Originally a quayside market, Front Street in Downtown New West bustled with people who shopped and enjoyed the accompaniment of the beautiful Fraser River.
In the late 1950s, an elevated and large parkade that spanned 4 city blocks was built alongside Front Street to encourage more shoppers to drop by. However, the parkade also loomed over the vast Waterfront – which left many residents and local businesses yearning for a reunion of the glistening river and historic street.
In 2016, excitement rippled through New West and beyond when it was announced that the towering parkade would be partially deconstructed to begin the construction of Front Street Mews.
For months, like watching a sculptor carve out their creation, visitors and locals patiently waited to witness the radical transformation. Beautifully encapsulating the revitalization of Front Street, new shrubs and trees slowly began to appear in the freshly laid soil.
If you haven’t already, come join us at Fridays on Front until August 25th 5 to 8pm and see the REVITALIZED Front Street! FoF is a weekly night market experience presented by yours truly, The Downtown New West BIA. It’ll not only be an unforgettable time with all the delicious food, drinks, and live entertainment – it’s a charming community celebration to recognize our special dockside area that has, and continues to offer so much!
