Crossing the Coquitlam River
Illustration by Brad Nickason
The flood of 1921 destroyed both the CPR and Dewdney Trunk Road bridges that crossed the Coquitlam River. In order to reach the other side of town, the citizens of Port Coquitlam had to string a line across the river and use a Bosun’s chair to carry them across the water. Mayor Mars was the first person to cross as an example to the rest of the town that the chair was safe.