Here is a bit more downtown New Westminster history. I took this picture of water cascading down the fountain at the Law Courts building. On this site stood the former Carnegie Free Library. It was occupied from 1905 to 1958. The area is on Carnarvon Street and one block from this apartment. The library moved to its present, up-town location at that time. However, it has a longer, and more interesting history. This information appears on the library's web site:
The Library holds the distinction of being the first public library in the province of British Columbia. It owes its existence to two events. In 1865, New Westminster was the capital of the mainland colony of British Columbia, recently carved from the forest on the banks of the Fraser River by the Royal Engineers. When the Regiment disbanded, it donated its collection of books brought from England to create a public library for the City. At the same time, Queen Victoria offered a copy of her late husband Prince Albert's speeches "to the public libraries of her more important colonies".
To continue reading about the history of our library, please click this link.