School Days of Port Moody

Port Moody Station Museum
Port Moody, British Columbia

“The Schools of Port Moody” chronicles the history of the buildings used for education in Port Moody, British Columbia from 1883 to 1973 and includes some of the students and teachers that attended them. Port Moody was chosen to be the Western Terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in 1879. By 1883 population grown had reached a level where formal education was warranted. The first school built was a one-room building at the corner of Douglas and Clarke Streets in 1885 and the Port Moody School District was formed. The one room school may have been used longer than originally planned as the CPR extended a branch line to Vancouver, thus a decline in the population growth of Port Moody did not warrant a larger school. Between 1908 and 1910 a 4 room Central school was built at Moody and St Johns Streets; several additions were made to add secondary classes. In 1951, it was demolished and replaced by Moody Elementary School (still in use in 2003) and Port Moody High School (destroyed by fire in 1969). Also detailed is Ioco School (1921) that later become part of Port Moody. Mentioned is the amalgamation of school districts to form Coquitlam School District 43 in 1946 and the additional schools built afterwards.