Westwood Plateau is a neighbourhood in the northern region of Coquitlam, 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...

, bounded by the city boundary with Port Moody to the west, David Avenue to the south, and Pipeline Road to the east. It lies on 1400 acres (6 km²) on the southern portion of Eagle Mountain, known locally as Eagle Ridge.

It is named for Westwood Motorsport Park

Westwood Motorsport Park

Westwood Motorsport Park was a 8-turn road racing circuit located in Coquitlam, British Columbia on the southern slopes of Eagle Mountain . The track was built and operated by the Sports Car Club of British Columbia...

 which existed on the plateau before the community was built, and was closed in 1990 to make way for real estate development. Hampton Park Elementary School was built on top of the actual raceway.

History

The area currently known as Westwood Plateau was crown land purchased by Wesbild Corp. in 1989, and between then and 2005 transformed the area into a residential community of 4525 homes and in 2010 is home to about 15,000 residents.

Features

The area features extensive greenbelts that protect existing creeks. Almost half the area, or 700 acres (2.8 km²) was retained as green space in this way, including a 400 meter high promontory at the center of Ridge Park. 2349 Detached single family style homes make up the majority of the buildings in the area. Lot sizes per home vary between 0.10 to 0.3 acres (1,214.1 m²), with most being in the 0.10 to 0.15 acres (607 m²) range. Townhomes, duplexes, and condominium style homes contribute another 2174 units. Due to the extensive preservation of natural areas the effective population density is less than 12 people per acre making it a low density suburb. However, the build up area itself, at 22 people per acre, would classify it as a compact neighborhood. Although touted as a plateau the area is actually sloped rising from between 60–100 meters above sea level to over 300 meters. Gently curving roads climb to this level where a golf course is located.

Transportation

Private automobile provides the fastest means of transport as Coquitlam and surrounding areas are amply provided with roads and free parking. The area is served by public transit buses at a minimum frequency of every thirty minutes most of the day. Service increases to every fifteen minutes during peak hours and reduces to once per hour late at night. Travel times on bus to Downtown Port Moody or Downtown Coquitlam are 15–20 minutes. The 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 rail service to Downtown Vancouver leaves from Coquitlam and Port Moody during weekday peak hours.

In 2004 James Moore, Conservative MP for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam (B.C.), announced in the House of Commons area resident concerns about marijuana grow operations. In 2008 the area had become a target for marijuana grow op operators.

Schools

• Elementary
  • Bramblewood Elementary
  • Panorama Heights Elementary
  • Pinetree Elementary
  • Hampton Park Elementary
• Middle School
  • Summit Middle School
    Summit Middle School (Coquitlam)
    Summit Middle School is a grade 6 to 8 public middle school within School District 43 Coquitlam, British Columbia.-Construction:Construction of Summit started in 1997, as part of the NDP's cost-cutting initiative for new schools...
    
    

Leisure

• Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club
  Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club
  Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club, located in the Canadian city of Coquitlam, British Columbia, comprises two golf courses set into the hillside of Eagle Mountain.-Summary:...
  
  

Retail

• Westwood Plateau Village