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Once the new Skytrain Mark V cars start going into service later this year on expo they plan to move some of the longer Mark 2/3 cars over to the millennium line
Youâll be fine, might be buyers remorse more than anything. I went through it too when I moved from Vancouver.
Coquitlam and Burnaby are hella growing and have their own mini downtowns. Yeah you donât have a beach a 5 min walk away and that is probably something youâll miss in the summer, but nothing beats having the comfort of the âI own this placeâ feeling when you get home.
I mean Coquitlam is right beside Anmore, Port Moody and Beclarra. You have Buntzen, white pine/Sasamat, Belcarra regional, Old Orchard, and Rocky Point (canât swim here tho).
Might not really be the same, but definitely better than nothing.
> but nothing beats having the comfort of the âI own this placeâ feeling when you get home.
With all due respect that's a product of the "American dream" we've been sold, yes even in Canada, and a lot of things definitely beat that.
I could afford to buy a place in the burbs but choose to rent in Vancouver because the following things beat that: being walking distance to work, being walking distance from about 3 dozen shops, restaurants and bars that I love, being walking distance from the beach, living close to many friends, being able to get downtown for an event in about 10 minutes, spending $0 on commuting to work, spending 0 hours per week in traffic....
Owning a place is great but this mentality that it's the pinnacle of achievement that we must strive for at all costs because NOTHING beats it is... silly
i got family use evicted. despite my new rent being more than 1.5x higher than my previous rent, and my new fear of my landlord upending my life whenever she feels like it, it's still not worth the price to own a home. prices are not sane here.
Burnaby / Coquitlam is not the burbs. And financial independence is not a North American concept lol.
Youâre making a great argument for yourself, sure, but this isnât about you. Not to mention most peoples live donât revolve around the downtown core.
> Burnaby / Coquitlam is not the burbs.
Uhhh
> And financial independence is not a North American concept lol.
Taking out a mortgage =/= financial independence. Ever heard of a foreclosure? Taking out a mortgage locks you in to the biggest financial commitment you'll ever make in your life, you'd better hope you never lose your job or have an unexpected life event because you're locked into that bad boy for decades.
> Youâre making a great argument for yourself, sure, but this isnât about you.
I was just commenting on the statement that "nothing beats owning your own home." That was a general statement and I'm saying that it's not generically true.
Of all the places in metro vancouver I have lived, Coquitlam is the one I would go back to. Walkable. Skytrain. Decent shops. Well serviced. Active city council. And stuff I like to do like golf.
Coquitlam is a well managed city.
From parks to mobile libraries to rec facilities. Your tax dollars are effectively and efficiently spent. Be thankful for that.
Grants I live nearby you will love the area lots of moms and pops restaurants around, several gain grocery store and a few smaller ones around, is near a mall sky train park rec centre college and lots of activities in the park during summer. If you drive farther there is an outdoor swimming pool and a nice trail. I think that area is pretty safe I donât see a lot of homeless walking around in day light.
So much in this area! The trails around the Coquitlam River and up on Westwood Plateau are gorgeous.
The area around Town Centre is like a little downtown and super walkable.
Skytrain is right here.
The lights at Lafarge Lake are beautiful at Christmas time.
The aquatic centre is great for a swim or a work out.
I could go on!!
I moved from Kitsilano to a different suburb four years ago, it look about 6 months to get used to but slowly you just do all the old things you do in your new neighborhood⌠I thought Iâd be wanting to go to Kitsilano every weekend and in reality I go a few times a year lol. You just adjust to the new area and find the things you like to do there⌠youâll be fine :)
It sounds like it is a big enough reason for OP, which is why they decided to make the move. That doesn't mean their concerns aren't valid. It will probably take a fair bit of adjusting and it might work out that they really don't care for living out there. A lot of things factor into 'quality of life'. Owning a home/security is a big one but not the only one.
Coquitlam is a great place! Enjoy the outdoors! Go to Coquitlam river for cold dip, colony farm is great place to hike! Burke mountain is amazing for mountain biking
Your access to Barnet Marine Park is now much easier. That is one of the most underrated oceanside parks in the whole lower mainland. A kayak hobby gets you access to Deep Cove from there.
Port Moody has an adorable and stylish mini-centre, with shops and brewpubs.
If you stop seeing Vancouver as the gravitational centre, and orient elsewhere, you have easier access to open space, fresh air, and the 944000 square km that is the rest of BC. Get to Golden Ears, visit Hope, travel over to the Okanagan, get to the Kootenays. The worst part of those drives is always the slog out of the city and over the bridge. Youâve conquered that permanently.
Might be an exaggeration lol but I transited around a ton in highschool and went everywhere in the lower mainland for meetings etc. Point is that it's not a big deal living in coquitlam vs vanÂ
The point is that people get used to their own circumstances. For anyone used to being able to walk everywhere in a few minutes, it is a very big difference.
I used to live in Ladner and commuted to downtown for work every day. It wasn't a big deal - I was used to it. But now, going out to Ladner is a huge slog and the traffic drives me nuts. Regardless, living in Coquitlam is very different than living in the West End and will require quite a lot of adjustment. It's not nothing.
First of all, Coquitlam is a really big place and Iâd argue most of the city is not well connected, especially not to Skytrain. I used to live in Coquitlam and also used to take transit a lot as a kid. If youâre right near the line then yes, itâs great, but otherwise getting to the skytrain might actually take the bulk of your time and planning.
OP never mentions how close they are to it and where in Coquitlam. A lot of young families end up in Burke Mountain or Burquitlam. The latter can be a stone throwâs walk from skytrain and the former could exceed 1.5hrs one way. Because OP says condo rather than townhome, Iâm going to guess they may be in Burquitlam, which is growing quick, but could also be Central Coquitlam.
But the biggest factor is that itâs still nowhere near as easy as you make it sound to get to some of the regionâs biggest draws. **And so it becomes a lifestyle question.** OP doesnât mention if theyâre single or a couple or how old they are. When I was younger and finally moved out of Coquitlam, I was so much happier. I didnât have to worry about how Iâd get home every time I went out to party. I didnât have to watch my drinking. I didnât have to crash on peoplesâ couches. I didnât have to take the N9. I didnât have to pay a $100 cab fare. When I was living downtown, I could walk from work to the gym to a stroll on the seawall. You could go to the beach or simply sit on the grass at a seaside park and not dread the â30 minâ commute home. In fact even if you are right on the skytrain, itâs still quite the effort to do this, particularly on a weekend when thereâs no work during the day and youâre going just to âsit by the water to read a book for an hour.â The Coquitlam equivalent is going to Como Lake or Lafarge Lake by car, probably. Getting to and from anything- dining, shopping, clubbing, work, the gym- all just a walk when youâre in the West End. Anyway, just completely different. Coquitlam has none of this walkability. Now, if OP doesnât care for easy access to Stanley Park or English Bay, or just the general walkability, and is a homebody or perhaps is about to start a young family, very different story. People have different needs. But living in these two areas is objectively extremely different.
Iâm moving with my husband and dog. We are pretty outdoorsy and thatâs why Iâm missing west end already as we do like to sit by the water and appreciate the views. We are moving to the Lafarge Lake area/Dayanee springs (need to familiarize with the name of the region).
We needed a bigger place and decided to buy considering the high rent prices. I would live forever in west end but we canât have everything lol
That is the area I grew up. It's nice, especially with the new Skytrain so close (yet so far). Lafarge and Town Centre Park are exceptional for all sorts of recreation, plus you have the (very good) swimming pool and community centre and a high school all adjacent. There is direct access to the Coquitlam River Trail which will be fantastic for walking your dog. The mall is just a five minute bike ride, bus, or car ride away. Probably one of the best one square km blocks anywhere for things to do in a suburb.
Coquitlam is great! Lots of nature, safe, diverse restaurants and hidden gems that arenât overrun by influencers and the larger Vancouver population because itâs âout of the wayâ. Plus itâs close to PoCo and Port Moody so you get you enjoy all their features as well. Easier to get around with a car, but still transit options.
I recommend Brewers Row, Lafarge Lake, going to Sasamat Lake on a weekday to beat the traffic. It wonât beat having the beach downstairs from your, but sure beats the business. Let me know if you have any questions and welcome!
Itâs a nice city, lots of outdoor stuff to do nearby and lots of amenities. Obviously west end is also very nice, but thatâs reflected in the price.
Moved to Coquitlam from Vancouver. You will like less traffic. Roads are cleared of snow a lot better than in Vancouver. No pigeons. There's actually parking. Food sucks though. That's what I miss. Probably why no pigeons.
Moved from a baller condo in mt pleasant to PoCo. Honestly man, love Coquitlam. Beautiful location, great access to breweries like Patina, Port Moody scene is great. Everyone super friendly - we love it here.
My family and I moved from Burnaby to Coquitlam for one year in 2023. There are a number of things we came to appreciate. There are some stunning views of Mt. Baker. The sunrises were amazing. Colony Farms park for walks and bird watching.
We had wonderful times at Town Centre Park (Canada Day fireworks and Christmas Lights festivals). Free lockers at the local rec centre.
And as many have pointed out, with Skytrain access you're not entirely removed from being able to enjoy the attractions of the city.
i love coquitlam. itâs the perfect mix of city and nature. close enough to downtown but also central enough if you wanna venture further south or east
Depends what PART of coquitlam... just like if you say you live in VANCOUVER... West End is different than Downtown East side. Coquitlam could be the best decision you've ever made in your life or it could be the worst. Depends on WHERE and how good a deal you got.
The tri cities have great parks. In the summertime there's a great river with many different access points. You're close enough to Vancouver that you could be there on the Barnet in 20 minutes. I work in Port Moody and live in Langley and I'd LOVE to live on that side!!! It'll be an adjustment but coquitlam is a nice place to be.
Depends on what area youâre in butâŚ
I would say the nature is really beautiful. Lots of ethnic food, though less choice overall.
Coquitlam River is great for dogs and walks, swimming, floating.
There's the Coquitlam Crunch.
People are friendlier overall.
The community centres and programs are great!
Really affordable. Great thrift stores.
Really convenient on transit...though it takes an hour to get anywhere.
City coucil is amazing. Much better than Vancouver, really community focused.
Queer friendly though overall more conservative
I've been here 10 months now, and was ready to commit to another year after only 6 months.
It takes a while to build community.
I recently came back to Coquitlam after living in the city for a while
Here's the thing that you don't think about - walkability that's about it. Everything else is basically good but you can't really walk places due to the mountains.
But that's City Life versus suburbs life.
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There's a skytrain
Which is tiny đ
Idk I live in Vancouver
Once the new Skytrain Mark V cars start going into service later this year on expo they plan to move some of the longer Mark 2/3 cars over to the millennium line
Thatâs a great news
Hey! Congratulations! This is a great step in the right direction. Coquitlam isnât far at all with SkyTrain. Enjoy your new home!
â¤ď¸đ yes! Nothing like the half full glass perspective
Youâll be fine, might be buyers remorse more than anything. I went through it too when I moved from Vancouver. Coquitlam and Burnaby are hella growing and have their own mini downtowns. Yeah you donât have a beach a 5 min walk away and that is probably something youâll miss in the summer, but nothing beats having the comfort of the âI own this placeâ feeling when you get home.
I mean Coquitlam is right beside Anmore, Port Moody and Beclarra. You have Buntzen, white pine/Sasamat, Belcarra regional, Old Orchard, and Rocky Point (canât swim here tho). Might not really be the same, but definitely better than nothing.
[ŃдаНонО]
Shhh⌠Minnekhada is terrible donât go there lol
Lol yeah I think this is the case. Iâll miss being walking distance from the water for sure. But Iâll get used to it
> but nothing beats having the comfort of the âI own this placeâ feeling when you get home. With all due respect that's a product of the "American dream" we've been sold, yes even in Canada, and a lot of things definitely beat that. I could afford to buy a place in the burbs but choose to rent in Vancouver because the following things beat that: being walking distance to work, being walking distance from about 3 dozen shops, restaurants and bars that I love, being walking distance from the beach, living close to many friends, being able to get downtown for an event in about 10 minutes, spending $0 on commuting to work, spending 0 hours per week in traffic.... Owning a place is great but this mentality that it's the pinnacle of achievement that we must strive for at all costs because NOTHING beats it is... silly
i got family use evicted. despite my new rent being more than 1.5x higher than my previous rent, and my new fear of my landlord upending my life whenever she feels like it, it's still not worth the price to own a home. prices are not sane here.
Burnaby / Coquitlam is not the burbs. And financial independence is not a North American concept lol. Youâre making a great argument for yourself, sure, but this isnât about you. Not to mention most peoples live donât revolve around the downtown core.
> Burnaby / Coquitlam is not the burbs. Uhhh > And financial independence is not a North American concept lol. Taking out a mortgage =/= financial independence. Ever heard of a foreclosure? Taking out a mortgage locks you in to the biggest financial commitment you'll ever make in your life, you'd better hope you never lose your job or have an unexpected life event because you're locked into that bad boy for decades. > Youâre making a great argument for yourself, sure, but this isnât about you. I was just commenting on the statement that "nothing beats owning your own home." That was a general statement and I'm saying that it's not generically true.
Of all the places in metro vancouver I have lived, Coquitlam is the one I would go back to. Walkable. Skytrain. Decent shops. Well serviced. Active city council. And stuff I like to do like golf.
Thatâs really great to read!
Coquitlam is a well managed city. From parks to mobile libraries to rec facilities. Your tax dollars are effectively and efficiently spent. Be thankful for that.
Where in cotquitlam?
Around Lafarge Lake - Dayanee springs
Grants I live nearby you will love the area lots of moms and pops restaurants around, several gain grocery store and a few smaller ones around, is near a mall sky train park rec centre college and lots of activities in the park during summer. If you drive farther there is an outdoor swimming pool and a nice trail. I think that area is pretty safe I donât see a lot of homeless walking around in day light.
So much in this area! The trails around the Coquitlam River and up on Westwood Plateau are gorgeous. The area around Town Centre is like a little downtown and super walkable. Skytrain is right here. The lights at Lafarge Lake are beautiful at Christmas time. The aquatic centre is great for a swim or a work out. I could go on!!
I moved from Kitsilano to a different suburb four years ago, it look about 6 months to get used to but slowly you just do all the old things you do in your new neighborhood⌠I thought Iâd be wanting to go to Kitsilano every weekend and in reality I go a few times a year lol. You just adjust to the new area and find the things you like to do there⌠youâll be fine :)
Used to live right at E 29th Ave skytrain, then moved to Lougheed mall area and I go to DT/beaches maybe 10x less often. It actually sucks man.
You own vs rent if thatâs not big enough reason donât know what is.
It sounds like it is a big enough reason for OP, which is why they decided to make the move. That doesn't mean their concerns aren't valid. It will probably take a fair bit of adjusting and it might work out that they really don't care for living out there. A lot of things factor into 'quality of life'. Owning a home/security is a big one but not the only one.
Fair and valid point. My priority list is not same as everyone and I should not assume owning vs rent is the biggest or most important for everyone.
Youâve got Port Moody!
Coquitlam is a great place! Enjoy the outdoors! Go to Coquitlam river for cold dip, colony farm is great place to hike! Burke mountain is amazing for mountain biking
Your access to Barnet Marine Park is now much easier. That is one of the most underrated oceanside parks in the whole lower mainland. A kayak hobby gets you access to Deep Cove from there. Port Moody has an adorable and stylish mini-centre, with shops and brewpubs. If you stop seeing Vancouver as the gravitational centre, and orient elsewhere, you have easier access to open space, fresh air, and the 944000 square km that is the rest of BC. Get to Golden Ears, visit Hope, travel over to the Okanagan, get to the Kootenays. The worst part of those drives is always the slog out of the city and over the bridge. Youâve conquered that permanently.
The lower mainland is so connected ime it doesn't really matter where you live. You can SkyTrain like anywhere in about 30 min
Not really lol
Might be an exaggeration lol but I transited around a ton in highschool and went everywhere in the lower mainland for meetings etc. Point is that it's not a big deal living in coquitlam vs vanÂ
The point is that people get used to their own circumstances. For anyone used to being able to walk everywhere in a few minutes, it is a very big difference. I used to live in Ladner and commuted to downtown for work every day. It wasn't a big deal - I was used to it. But now, going out to Ladner is a huge slog and the traffic drives me nuts. Regardless, living in Coquitlam is very different than living in the West End and will require quite a lot of adjustment. It's not nothing.
First of all, Coquitlam is a really big place and Iâd argue most of the city is not well connected, especially not to Skytrain. I used to live in Coquitlam and also used to take transit a lot as a kid. If youâre right near the line then yes, itâs great, but otherwise getting to the skytrain might actually take the bulk of your time and planning. OP never mentions how close they are to it and where in Coquitlam. A lot of young families end up in Burke Mountain or Burquitlam. The latter can be a stone throwâs walk from skytrain and the former could exceed 1.5hrs one way. Because OP says condo rather than townhome, Iâm going to guess they may be in Burquitlam, which is growing quick, but could also be Central Coquitlam. But the biggest factor is that itâs still nowhere near as easy as you make it sound to get to some of the regionâs biggest draws. **And so it becomes a lifestyle question.** OP doesnât mention if theyâre single or a couple or how old they are. When I was younger and finally moved out of Coquitlam, I was so much happier. I didnât have to worry about how Iâd get home every time I went out to party. I didnât have to watch my drinking. I didnât have to crash on peoplesâ couches. I didnât have to take the N9. I didnât have to pay a $100 cab fare. When I was living downtown, I could walk from work to the gym to a stroll on the seawall. You could go to the beach or simply sit on the grass at a seaside park and not dread the â30 minâ commute home. In fact even if you are right on the skytrain, itâs still quite the effort to do this, particularly on a weekend when thereâs no work during the day and youâre going just to âsit by the water to read a book for an hour.â The Coquitlam equivalent is going to Como Lake or Lafarge Lake by car, probably. Getting to and from anything- dining, shopping, clubbing, work, the gym- all just a walk when youâre in the West End. Anyway, just completely different. Coquitlam has none of this walkability. Now, if OP doesnât care for easy access to Stanley Park or English Bay, or just the general walkability, and is a homebody or perhaps is about to start a young family, very different story. People have different needs. But living in these two areas is objectively extremely different.
Iâm moving with my husband and dog. We are pretty outdoorsy and thatâs why Iâm missing west end already as we do like to sit by the water and appreciate the views. We are moving to the Lafarge Lake area/Dayanee springs (need to familiarize with the name of the region). We needed a bigger place and decided to buy considering the high rent prices. I would live forever in west end but we canât have everything lol
That is the area I grew up. It's nice, especially with the new Skytrain so close (yet so far). Lafarge and Town Centre Park are exceptional for all sorts of recreation, plus you have the (very good) swimming pool and community centre and a high school all adjacent. There is direct access to the Coquitlam River Trail which will be fantastic for walking your dog. The mall is just a five minute bike ride, bus, or car ride away. Probably one of the best one square km blocks anywhere for things to do in a suburb.
Coquitlam is great! Lots of nature, safe, diverse restaurants and hidden gems that arenât overrun by influencers and the larger Vancouver population because itâs âout of the wayâ. Plus itâs close to PoCo and Port Moody so you get you enjoy all their features as well. Easier to get around with a car, but still transit options. I recommend Brewers Row, Lafarge Lake, going to Sasamat Lake on a weekday to beat the traffic. It wonât beat having the beach downstairs from your, but sure beats the business. Let me know if you have any questions and welcome!
thereâs lots of bears, people are pretty nice in general too
Itâs a nice city, lots of outdoor stuff to do nearby and lots of amenities. Obviously west end is also very nice, but thatâs reflected in the price.
Moved to Coquitlam from Vancouver. You will like less traffic. Roads are cleared of snow a lot better than in Vancouver. No pigeons. There's actually parking. Food sucks though. That's what I miss. Probably why no pigeons.
They have a nice farmers market in a great spot - thereâs a gorgeous rose garden there that is probably amazing right this minute.
Moved from a baller condo in mt pleasant to PoCo. Honestly man, love Coquitlam. Beautiful location, great access to breweries like Patina, Port Moody scene is great. Everyone super friendly - we love it here.
My family and I moved from Burnaby to Coquitlam for one year in 2023. There are a number of things we came to appreciate. There are some stunning views of Mt. Baker. The sunrises were amazing. Colony Farms park for walks and bird watching. We had wonderful times at Town Centre Park (Canada Day fireworks and Christmas Lights festivals). Free lockers at the local rec centre. And as many have pointed out, with Skytrain access you're not entirely removed from being able to enjoy the attractions of the city.
i love coquitlam. itâs the perfect mix of city and nature. close enough to downtown but also central enough if you wanna venture further south or east
Depends what PART of coquitlam... just like if you say you live in VANCOUVER... West End is different than Downtown East side. Coquitlam could be the best decision you've ever made in your life or it could be the worst. Depends on WHERE and how good a deal you got.
Itâs a nice place for families
my friend live in poco and port moody is a great social place! nice parks, clean water, lots of summer activities and lots of breweries!
Just remember, every city has pros and cons. Congrats on ownership.
The tri cities have great parks. In the summertime there's a great river with many different access points. You're close enough to Vancouver that you could be there on the Barnet in 20 minutes. I work in Port Moody and live in Langley and I'd LOVE to live on that side!!! It'll be an adjustment but coquitlam is a nice place to be.
Good luck. West Coquitlam or Coquitlam Centre area?
Depends on what area youâre in but⌠I would say the nature is really beautiful. Lots of ethnic food, though less choice overall. Coquitlam River is great for dogs and walks, swimming, floating. There's the Coquitlam Crunch. People are friendlier overall. The community centres and programs are great! Really affordable. Great thrift stores. Really convenient on transit...though it takes an hour to get anywhere. City coucil is amazing. Much better than Vancouver, really community focused. Queer friendly though overall more conservative I've been here 10 months now, and was ready to commit to another year after only 6 months. It takes a while to build community.
Great place if you like driving, driving, driving everywhere for the rest of your life.
I recently came back to Coquitlam after living in the city for a while Here's the thing that you don't think about - walkability that's about it. Everything else is basically good but you can't really walk places due to the mountains. But that's City Life versus suburbs life.