Columbia Street is the commercial spine of New Westminster's historic centre — a strip of early 20th century brick commercial buildings that retains more of its original character than most comparable streets in Metro Vancouver. The historic district contains some of the best-preserved Edwardian commercial architecture in the region, with terra-cotta facades and decorative brickwork that would be long gone if this were a more fashionable neighbourhood.
The street is experiencing a slow revival, with independent cafes, vintage shops, and art spaces moving into the ground floors of buildings that had been declining for decades. It is not polished or touristy — it feels like a real Canadian city centre in the process of figuring out what it wants to be.