First Look: Fraser Mills’ New Waterfront Community Centre Revealed

Coquitlam’s future waterfront neighbourhood is beginning to look like more than a collection of new towers.

The City of Coquitlam and Beedie Living have released the first detailed renderings of the new Fraser Mills Community Centre, offering a clearer picture of the public recreation facility planned for the centre of the growing community.

The nearly 60,000-square-foot community centre will include swimming pools, waterslides, fitness facilities, indoor sports space and areas designed for community programs and casual gatherings. Once complete, the facility will be owned and operated by the City of Coquitlam rather than serving as a private amenity exclusively for Fraser Mills residents.

That distinction matters. The community centre is being positioned as a major public destination for Fraser Mills, Southwest Coquitlam and the wider city.

What Will Be Inside the Fraser Mills Community Centre?

The current plans include:

• A leisure pool with waterslides

• A five-lane lap pool

• A full-size gymnasium for indoor sports

• A dedicated fitness area

• Multi-purpose rooms

• Informal gathering and social spaces

The building is also being designed as an accessible facility, with programming and recreation options intended for different ages and ability levels. It is expected to open in 2031.

The community centre will sit beside a central urban plaza along the waterfront. The plaza is planned as an everyday gathering space that can also support community events, public activities and special programming.

Underground and nearby parking will be provided, while the site will connect to the neighbourhood’s future transit routes, walking paths and cycling trails. Retail and restaurant spaces are also planned nearby, creating the potential for the area to remain active beyond the operating hours of the community centre.

More Than a Recreation Building

A major master-planned community can promise homes, retail and green space years before residents experience any of them. Public amenities are what eventually determine whether the completed development feels like a real neighbourhood.

For Fraser Mills, the community centre could become one of those defining amenities.

It gives residents a place to swim, exercise, attend programs and meet their neighbours. It also gives people from elsewhere in Coquitlam a reason to visit the waterfront community.

That broader public role separates the project from a typical condominium amenity package. This is planned as civic infrastructure that will remain under City ownership and serve the wider community.

Parks, Trails and Public Space Are Also Coming

The community centre is part of a larger public amenity plan that includes public art and approximately 16.6 acres of active and passive park space.

The first phase of that plan is already underway and includes a 4.5-acre Riverfront Park with a renewed wharf, destination playground, water-play areas, two full-sized tennis courts and a youth sports hub.

Additional plans include the Historic Como Creek Greenway, separate off-leash areas for small and large dogs, and a one-kilometre riverside trail connecting Riverfront Park with Don Roberts Park.

Together, the community centre, parks and trails will establish the public side of Fraser Mills—not simply the areas located between residential buildings, but destinations people may actively choose to visit.

Fraser Mills Is Already Taking Shape

Located at 2 King Edward Street, Fraser Mills is a 96-acre master-planned development along the Fraser River and is being promoted as Coquitlam’s first and only waterfront community.

The completed neighbourhood is planned to include approximately 5,500 strata and rental homes, retail and restaurant spaces, urban plazas, parks, childcare facilities and a future elementary school.

The first three residential projects—Debut, Encore and Chapter—are currently under construction, with completions expected in 2028 and 2029. More than 400 childcare spaces are also planned across the community.

The Couve Takeaway

The new renderings show that Fraser Mills is moving toward becoming more than a waterfront residential development.

The combination of a publicly operated aquatic centre, urban plaza, riverfront parks and connected trail system gives the community a stronger foundation for everyday life. These are the features that can turn a large development into a recognizable neighbourhood with its own identity.

There is still a long timeline ahead, with the community centre currently expected to open in 2031. But for future residents and buyers evaluating Fraser Mills, the latest plans provide a much clearer picture of what the centre of the community is intended to become.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the Fraser Mills Community Centre open?
The facility is currently expected to be completed in 2031.

Will the community centre be open to the public?
Yes. It will be owned and operated by the City of Coquitlam and is intended to serve residents from Fraser Mills and across the city.

Will the facility include a swimming pool?
Yes. Plans include a leisure pool with waterslides and a separate five-lane lap pool.

Where is Fraser Mills located?
Fraser Mills is located at 2 King Edward Street in South Coquitlam, along the Fraser River.

How many homes are planned for Fraser Mills?
The completed master-planned community is expected to include approximately 5,500 strata and rental homes.

Explore the Fraser Mills project page on The Couve for the latest development details, available homes and community updates. To learn more about purchasing at Fraser Mills, contact The Couve team to book an appointment.