A Canadian Moment
Canadian Pacific Railway was formed to physically unite Canada and Canadians from coast to coast. Canada’s confederation on July 1st, 1867 brought four eastern provinces together to form a new country. As part of the deal, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were promised a railway to link them with the two Central Canadian provinces – Quebec and Ontario.
Manitoba joined confederation in 1870. British Columbia, on the west coast, was enticed to join the new confederation in 1871, but only with the promise that a transcontinental railway be built within 10 years to physically link east and west.
The Golden Spike Days Festival was created in 1971 by the Kiwanis Club of Coquitlam & Port Moody to commemorate the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway line and its arrival at the Port Moody Station, the western terminus, in the late 1880’s.
Various events took place over the years in celebration of this historic moment. The early years were much different, and it wasn’t until 1990 that The Golden Spike Days Festival became a celebration in the form that we know it as today.