New downtown Port Coquitlam public plaza features Bellagio-style programmable dancing fountain
Port Coquitlam just turned up the splash factor for its revitalized downtown core.
Earlier this month, the City of Port Coquitlam officially celebrated the grand opening of its completely rebuilt Leigh Square, a revitalized public space located directly next to City Hall.
What stole the spotlight was a dazzling new fountain that would not look out of place on the Las Vegas Strip.
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The miniature Bellagio-like dancing fountain is the centrepiece of the new plaza, with water jets shooting out of three interlocking rings embedded into the plaza’s surface.
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The fountain system doesn’t just dazzle with high-reaching streams of water — it comes alive with vibrant lighting effects and intricately synchronized choreography.
Fully programmable to both music and lights, the fountain is designed to deliver regular shows that add a sense of spectacle to the downtown experience.
The City plans to release a schedule so residents and visitors alike can time their visits to catch the fountain in full, dazzling display.
Other dancing fountains of a similar calibre in Metro Vancouver include the popular plaza fountain atop Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver — which is expected to reopen this spring following extensive repairs and a multi-year closure — and the showcase fountain at Brentwood Plaza, located within The Amazing Brentwood mall in Burnaby.
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
In addition to the interactive fountain, the reimagined Leigh Square has been transformed into a more versatile and inviting public space.
The upgrades include an open-concept festival area designed to better accommodate community events, along with a new stage location, enhanced lighting, refreshed landscaping, and upgraded seating. Altogether, the improvements aim to turn the square into a vibrant hub for everyday gathering and events in the heart of downtown Port Coquitlam.
Previously, Leigh Square featured a built-in permanent covered stage area, but the spectator area was small — tightly enclosed by concrete planters with hedges and other landscaping.
Previous condition:
Previous condition of Leigh Square before its reconstruction. (Google Maps)
New condition:
The new Leigh Square. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square with its dancing fountain. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new plaza not only eliminates the previous physical and visual barriers, but also expands into areas that were once surface vehicle parking spaces.
By reclaiming and reconfiguring this space for pedestrians and events, the redesign significantly enhances the public realm, creating a more cohesive and welcoming setting for the civic facilities that frame the plaza.
“Leigh Square is now a true community hub, designed to bring people together at all times,” said Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West in a statement last month.
“This revitalized space has many new, unique features and things to do, which will give residents more reasons to visit regularly. Not only will Leigh Square be able to host more community events, festivals, live music and performances, it also will be a great place to connect with our community any day of the week.”
Previous condition:
Previous condition of Leigh Square before its reconstruction. (Google Maps)
New condition:
The new Leigh Square. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The new Leigh Square. (City of Port Coquitlam)
The reopening of Leigh Square marks the completion of downtown Port Coquitlam’s public realm transformation, following the recently completed upgrades to McAllister Avenue in 2022 and Veterans Park in 2024.
All three public space upgrades carried a combined total cost of about $11.85 million, with the overwhelming majority covered by various provincial and federal grants, TransLink, and other external sources. According to the City, municipal taxpayers only covered about $360,000. The overall transformation was designed by local firm Binnie.
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