Lafarge Lake was not always a lake. From the 1950s through 1965 the site was a gravel quarry operated by Lafarge Canada. The cement company donated the site to the City in the mid-1980s; reclamation, natural springs filling, and pathway development followed. Town Centre Park officially opened in May 1989 — and today the lake hosts Lights at Lafarge, Metro Vancouver’s largest free outdoor winter lights display.
Updated: July 8, 2026 · License: V99960 · Brokerage: Royal LePage Elite WestLafarge Lake was not always a lake. From the 1950s through 1965 the site was a gravel quarry operated by Lafarge Canada. The cement company donated the site to the City of Coquitlam in the mid-1980s; reclamation and pathway development followed, and Town Centre Park officially opened in May 1989. Today the lake hosts Lights at Lafarge — Metro Vancouver’s largest free outdoor winter lights display — and sits beside the Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain station. Craig Johnston, Top 1% Team Member — Greater Vancouver REALTORS® and a 47+ year Coquitlam resident, can walk you through what living near Town Centre means for a buy or sell decision.
Every figure below is drawn from the City of Coquitlam record and the public history of the site. These are the details buyers, families, and out-of-towners ask about first.
Town Centre area residents — the North Coquitlam high-rises and the Burquitlam-adjacent buildings — walk to Lafarge Lake. That walkable green heart is one of the practical reasons Town Centre condos hold their appeal.
The Lights at Lafarge tradition — Coquitlam families and grandparents bringing kids to walk the lake from late November through January — is one of the city’s signature shared experiences. When you buy or sell in Town Centre, this is the lifestyle context behind the numbers: a reclaimed quarry turned into a lake, a park, a transit hub, and a gathering place all within a short walk of home.
A 47+ year Coquitlam resident and licensed REALTOR® with The MACNABS at Royal LePage Elite West, Craig Johnston has watched Town Centre grow up around Lafarge Lake — from the park’s opening through the arrival of SkyTrain and the high-rise era. If you’re weighing a move near the lake, that lived local context is the layer a fly-in agent can’t copy.
Tri-Cities Move-Up Specialist · 47+ year Coquitlam resident · Top 1% Team Member — Greater Vancouver REALTORS® · Top 2% Team Member — Royal LePage nationwide · Medallion Club Team Member since 2021 · Royal LePage Elite West · BCFSA #V99960.
5.0 stars across 34+ verified Google reviews. Three, verbatim.
“We received seven offers, and Craig held firm on our priorities: no subject to sale and achieving our price.”
Jim Turnbull · Google Review“Craig sold my property in just 6 days. Before I knew it, we had multiple offers — all over asking price.”
Heather Fox · Google Review“Craig worked with my wife and me for over 3 years to find the perfect home.”
David Catterall · Google ReviewA 47+ year Coquitlam resident and licensed REALTOR® at The MACNABS, Royal LePage Elite West. The local context that makes the numbers make sense — no pressure, every question answered.
Lafarge Lake is the green heart of North Coquitlam’s Town Centre. These are the pages to read next when you’re weighing a move nearby.