Hobbies in Coquitlam
This exhibition features some of the amazing hobbies and pastimes from local Coquitlam residents. Hobbies have long been an important but often quite private part of community life. Hobbies reflect both the ingenuity and creativity of our local community. Coquitlam Heritage’s exhibition shows the many ways in which people find joy and connection through their hobbies. Each piece tells a story of passion, skill, and dedication, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who call Coquitlam home.
What defines a hobby? Unlike simple leisure activities, hobbies are sustained pursuits that involve skill, creativity, and dedication.
Heritage is deeply connected with hobbies. People have always engaged in gardening, toy-building, or collecting wide-ranging objects from rocks to books.
Some hobbies are quite practical like quilting, fixing cars, coding; other endeavours are less practical and more artistic or focused aspects of collecting.
We invite you to explore these stories and discover how hobbies have shaped not only individual lives but also the collective heritage of Coquitlam.
Generously funded by the Province of British Columbia.
CARTOGRAPHY: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MAPMAKING
DEFINITION
The study and practice of creating maps, combining data analysis, geography, design, and technology to represent spatial information effectively.
KEY PURPOSE
To selectively feature or omit terrain characteristics based on a map’s intended use.
HISTORICAL ORIGINS
Earliest Examples: Debated, with potential candidates like a 7th-millennium BCE Anatolian painting (possibly a map of Çatalhöyük).
Oldest Confirmed Maps: Babylonian world maps from the 9th century BCE, centering on the Euphrates River.
CIVILIZATIONAL IMPACT
Essential for urban planning, navigation, disaster response, resource management, and climate change analysis.
MODERN EVOLUTION
Transitioned from hand-drawn techniques to digital tools, though traditional methods persist in niche applications.
Heritage Maker
Steve Chapman born in Birmingham, UK, relocated to Canada in 2001. For over a decade, Steve has been an integral part of Coquitlam Search and Rescue, spearheading its community education program and sharing his knowledge to foster safety and awareness.
HOW THE HOBBY SHAPED OUR PAST—AND WHY IT STILL MATTERS
Maps are essential to navigating and planning. They also provide us with a clear outline of how our community and the city around us takes shape over the years. Maps are an essential history record.
COMMUNITY THREADS: HOBBY AS A LOCAL BOND
As a local cartographer Steve helps to document Coquitlam and its surroundings. As a guide for anything ranging from nature hikes to local businesses.
HOBBY AS LOCAL HERITAGE: A LEGACY IN THE MAKING
Maps play a crucial role in both urban planning and documentation on how our neighbourhoods are shaped over the years.
In His Own Words
Steve Chapman - Cartographer
Born in Birmingham, UK, Steve Chapman relocated to Canada in 2001, where he carved out an impressive and multifaceted career. Beginning as an electronics engineer, he pivoted to cartography in 2007 after being laid off, embracing his long-held passion for maps and the great outdoors. As a self-taught cartographer, Steve honed his skills through online tutorials, experimentation, and collaboration with other talented cartographers. His dedication and creativity led him to become one of Canada’s most versatile and innovative cartographers, serving a global clientele.
Steve’s work includes the creation of two best-selling local hiking maps of the Tri-Cities and Golden Ears regions. He has also contributed his expertise to prominent guidebooks, including the best-selling “105 Hikes” and the award-winning “Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia.” These achievements cement his reputation as a leader in the field.
A true mountain enthusiast, Steve has climbed iconic peaks like Denali, Lobuche East, and Mont Blanc, showcasing his adventurous spirit. His other interests include hiking, kayaking, skiing, and mountaineering— activities that deepen his connection to nature and inspire his professional work.
For over a decade, Steve has been an integral part of Coquitlam Search and Rescue, spearheading its community education program and sharing his knowledge to foster safety and awareness. His dedication to both his craft and his community defines a life driven by passion and purpose.
Taxidermy
DEFINITION:
The art of preserving and mounting animal specimens for display or study.
ORIGINS
Traces back to ancient Egyptian embalming practices.
Flourished as a Victorian-era status symbol and decorative art.
MODERN APPLICATIONS
Primarily used in museum exhibitions.
Increasingly popular for pet memorialization.
TECHNIQUES
Traditional skin preservation and stuffing.
Contemporary anatomical mounting methods.
QUILTING AND KNITTING
LOCAL HISTORY
Coquitlam’s women – particularly in Maillardville’s francophone community – preserved culture through needlework. At Lady of Lourdes Elementary (1912-1960), girls practiced sewing during mandatory after-school hours. Meanwhile, homes like 1125 Cartier Street featured spaces where women gathered for sewing and knitting after dinner.
These needle arts served vital roles:
Knitting produced essential clothing during wartime and economic hardship.
Quilting became important social gatherings where women shared news and skills.
Patterns and techniques carried cultural traditions across generations.
QUILTING TRADITION
Popular in the 19th century as:
Farewell gifts.
Fundraising (war efforts/missionary work.)
Memorializing collective histories.
QUILT CONSTRUCTION
Top Layer: Patchwork of fabric pieces stitched in patterns.
Middle Layer: Insulating batting (historically wool or cotton.)
Backing: A single continuous fabric layer that forms the quilt’s underside.
Quilting: All layers hand-stitched together with decorative patterns.
FRASER MILLS EXAMPLE
Features autographs of local women (see red quilt.)
Served as both war fundraiser and personal record.
Challenges historical silences about women’s contributions.
The featured quilts are significant objects in our collection because they represent the activities and voices of the women in our community. Quilting, in the case of the quilts displayed here, was a communal practice which preserved women’s narratives often excluded from official records.
This quilt is called a signature quilt which became popular in the 19th century. They were made as gifts for people moving out west, as a way of honouring or documenting a community, and as a fundraising tool for missionary work or for supporting the troops during the war.
This quilt holds the signatures of women who lived in Fraser Mills. They collected donations to support the war effort, and in their own way, made their mark in history by signing their name during a time when women did not have the right to sign much.
Heritage Maker
Ann Carlsen, long time Coquitlam resident, has been practicing law in British Columbia since 1991, specializing in intellectual property law. Ann has helped many artists, writers, and inventors protect their intellectual property. Ann is an important member of the board of directors at the Coquitlam Heritage Society, providing legal advice and guidance over the years.
HOW THE HOBBY SHAPED OUR PAST—AND WHY IT STILL MATTERS
Knitting was once an essential way of producing warm garments before mass production, making common items like Stockings, socks, mittens, scarfs, caps, bonnets. During the war years knitting for soldiers helped keep the troops warm. Coquitlam Heritage’s collection has spinning wheels, wool combs and even a more industrial sock weaving machine.
COMMUNITY THREADS: HOBBY AS A LOCAL BOND
Knitting can be a private act but it can also have a strong social component. Ann who frequently knitted on buses and trains mentioned that people would often approach her and be very curious about knitting. She said knitters are a very friendly bunch.
HOBBY AS LOCAL HERITAGE: A LEGACY IN THE MAKING
In 2019 the Tri-City newspaper reporter Mario Bartel interviewed Fran Grant who set up Knit2gether Coquitlam, a group which met every month at Coquitlam Public Library’s Poirier. Groups of knitters are keeping the tradition alive as well as producing warm mittens and scarfs.
In Her Own Words
Ann Carlsen - Avid Knitter
I started knitting when I was four years old, taught by my Uncle Bill. When I was four, I lived in England with my Mother and Grandparents. My father had left for Canada to make a new home for us in Windsor Ontario. We did not have a television, so in the evenings the whole family sat around the radio and knitting.
I remember the first wool and knitting needles I received as a reward for being good at the dentist. The needles were mauve and child sized (I still have them) and variegated yarn. I remember the scarf I made in garter stitch (every row was a knit row). I still remember how it curvy the sides were, as I lost stitches and gained stitches.
By the time I was twelve I was knitting sweaters for myself, mainly in fair isle (style of knitting that uses many colours of yarn in patterns).
I still knit, but I love cabling, in the Aran style.
This sweater in the exhibit is an example of a Norwegian style from the area known as Stavanger. It was originally designed to be worn by fishermen. My Father was Norwegian, and I was born in Norway, in the Stavanger area. Traditionally it is black with white designs knitted in. The white yarn is carried on the back to give the sweater extra warmth. I have heard that the designs are specific to a specific family and if a fisherman dies at sea, the family can be identified by the design.
This particular sweater was begun by my Mother. When she went to assisted living (at 96 years old), she asked me to complete it. The way the sweater is shaped is unique to the Stavanger sweater. The body is knit on a circular needle (or 4 or more straight double pointed needles). The armholes are not knitted into the body. Instead, the body of the sweater I knitted as a tube, and when completed, the space for the sleeves are cut into the body. The opening is then sewn to stop running of the knitting. The sleeves are then sewn into the body. The shoulders are sewn together, leaving a space for the neck. An embroidered band is usually placed around the neck, and any opening in the front.
Photography
ORIGINS
Traces back to the camera obscura (4th century BCE), documented by Aristotle (Greece) and Mozi (China.)
Artists used this light-projection phenomenon for image tracing.
SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH (1727)
Johann Heinrich Schulze proved silver salts darken from light exposure (not heat), paving the way for photographic chemistry.
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An early photographic process, invented by Nicéphore Niépce around 1822, that involved the hardening of bitumen in sunlight.
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A detailed image formed on silver-plated copper, invented in the 1830s by Louis Daguerre after collaborating with Nicéphore Niépce.
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An early photographic process, introduced in 1841 by William Henry Fox Talbot, in which negatives were made using paper coated with silver iodide.
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Made from two almost identical photographs, side by side, to be viewed through a stereoscope, resulting in the illusion of three-dimensionality. This successfully came to fruition in 1849, after David Brewster improved upon an early idea by Charles Wheatstone.
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A photographic process that used a prepared piece of glass coated with collodion and then made light-sensitive with further chemicals. It would be exposed and developed within the span of about fifteen minutes and required the use of a portable dark room.
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A dry substitute to wet collodion that involved glass plates coated with a gelatin emulsion of silver bromide. It can be stored until exposure, eliminating the need for a portable dark room.
PORCELAIN DOLL CRAFTING, DOLL COLLECTING
Heritage Maker
Barbara Bradshaw, a Coquitlam resident, honed her skills in porcelain doll-making by attending many classes. Her creation, Lady Grace, reflects the artistry of traditional European-style porcelain dolls, which were historically crafted in Germany and France as luxury playthings for affluent children. Bradshaw’s work ties into Coquitlam Heritage’s large doll collection — many local residents have owned and cherished such dolls over the years.
HOW THE HOBBY SHAPED OUR PAST—AND WHY IT STILL MATTERS
Porcelain dolls like Lady Grace preserve the craftsmanship of 19thcentury doll-making, blending artistry with cultural history. The techniques Bradshaw learned—such as painting bisque porcelain with specialized pigments (metallic oxides for glazed surfaces) — ensure these delicate heirlooms endure. Coquitlam Heritage holds a significant collection of such dolls, showcasing their role in local family traditions and decorative arts.
COMMUNITY THREADS: HOBBY AS A LOCAL BOND
From workshops to collector exhibitions, porcelain doll-making has connected Coquitlam residents through shared appreciation for antique craftsmanship. Bradshaw’s dedication highlights a community passion for preserving history through tangible artistry.
HOBBY AS LOCAL HERITAGE: A LEGACY IN THE MAKING
Bradshaw’s dolls, alongside Coquitlam Heritage’s collections, bridge European traditions with local storytelling. These delicate creations remind us how hobbies can weave global heritage into Coquitlam’s identity, preserving artistry for future generations.
Porcelain dolls are dolls made partially or entirely out of bisque porcelain. The earliest European porcelain dolls were China dolls made primarily in Germany between 1840 and 1880. These dolls have heads made of bisque, either tinted (glazed china) or untinted (unglazed or “parian”), with bodies made of other materials due to the delicacy and weight of the ceramic. This doll is called Lady Grace and was crafted by Barbara Bradshaw.
A set of tools, including scrapers, knives, and texture tools used for making and molding porcelain dolls.
Paints used to paint porcelain dolls. Porcelain paints are dependant on whether or not the bisque is glazed. For glazed porcelain, the pigments used do not dissolve in water or oil, since they are made of a blend of metallic oxides and powdered glass to ensure the glaze and the paint adhere together.
A series of paint brushes, including a palette knife, used for painting porcelain dolls.
Aviculture: The Art of Birdkeeping
DEFINITION
The practice of keeping and breeding birds, encompassing both hobbyist care and conservation efforts.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Traditionally associated with nobility displaying wealth through exotic birds.
James Murray’s Ryan House (now PDA) aviary (1931-1936) housed 16 species including peacocks and parrots. (picture to the right Murray family having tea in the aviary)
MODERN CONTEXT
Evolved from status symbol to include scientific research and species preservation.
Remains a specialized but rewarding pursuit.
THE HOBBYIST’S VALUE
Offers intellectual stimulation and opportunities for community engagement.
Storytelling
Heritage Maker
Mythili Garikiparthi is a young budding writer living in Coquitlam. She has been writing and journaling for a while. Especially during the COVID pandemic, writing served as a way to manage difficult times.
HOW THE HOBBY SHAPED OUR PAST—AND WHY IT STILL MATTERS
Long before settlers arrived, the Kwikwetlem people shared oral traditions along the shores of the Coquitlam River. Legends of transformers, salmon runs, and the sacredness of the land were passed down through generations, embedding history in spoken word.
COMMUNITY THREADS: HOBBY AS A LOCAL BOND
Letters, diary memories from Fraser Mills workers and Maillardville’s francophone families captured the recent history of Coquitlam’s residents. Biographical, historical or creative writing catches the essence of a place in all its complexities.
HOBBY AS LOCAL HERITAGE: A LEGACY IN THE MAKING
Works like Coquitlam 100 produced by the District of Coquitlam in 1991, chronicle the rich local history. A copy can be found in the Coquitlam Public Library.
In Her Own Words
Mythili Garikiparthi - Writer
I’ve been writing and journalling for a while now. It got me through COVID. Sometimes it is what gets me through a day.
Gold notebook – one of many ‘lucky’ notebooks. Of course, when you run out of room, you just have to get yourself a new one and be convinced it’s lucky. This is opened up to a scene from a play about a shelter.
1967 German Adler - was a present from my father from right before the quarantines started. I broke my fair share of fingernails on it!
Blackout poetry.
Booklet.
Draft about dreams that I never finished.
