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The Heritage Grill, your destination
for
great food, exquisite drinks and live music
About Us
The Vision
 The Heritage Grill opened its doors on May 28, 2005. Why here on Columbia
Street you may ask?
Even as a young boy, Paul Minhas had a dream of one day owning his own jazz
club. Then as a young man he spent several years in Europe and Asia where he got a first-hand sense of what is possible in a good jazz
club.
Add to that Paul's passion for Columbia Street with its rich,
interesting history that goes back well over a century. Paul sees it
reviving and becoming the "Yale Town" of New Westminster.
 Paul's vision for The Heritage Grill is to give patrons a relaxed
environment in the Downtown area of New Westminster where they can meet
with friends, enjoy good food and drink, and listen to live music.
The restaurant has two excellent chefs with very versatile experience
allowing The Heritage Grill to offer, in addition to the regular menu,
some very exciting and different daily specials!
The Heritage Grill offers an outdoor patio, an intimate indoor dining area
with stage and bar, as well as separate rooms for special private
functions.
Paul has some exciting plans for the future - become a "regular" and watch
the magic unfold!
 The History of Columbia Street*
From the start, Columbia was the heart of New Westminster. It was where
the businesses and hotels were; it was where you went to meet all and sundry on
the sidewalk.
And then on September 10/11, 1898 there was the Great Fire that all
but wiped out Columbia Street.
The 400 Block
Before the Great Fire, the 400 block where the Heritage Grill is now
located, was occupied by several buildings, some of which are still
standing (the Burr Block and the Queens Hotel). In the photo, the building
with the spire is the YMCA standing on the North West corner of Columbia
and Church St.
On the North East corner from here are some of the Wintemute buildings (Wintemute
furniture factory which was built in the ravine stretching back as far as
Clarkson), the Begbie block, the Burr Block and the Queens Hotel.
The Great Fire was brought under control just as it reached the Burr Block
- see the photo on the right. According to the 1885 directory, the corner
store was a bakery.
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Fire map of New West in 1898 showing extent of fire |
After the great fire! Columbia St, September 11, 1898 looking East from top
of Burr Block (Met Hotel) |
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After the fire
In the photo above right is the same
400/500 block on the morning after the fire. The burnt out building
with the arched doorway was the YMCA and the road to the right is
Church St. crossing Clarkson.
On the left is the same 400 block
looking East with the burnt out Wintemute Buildings and Begbie block. |
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North East corner of Columbia and Church looking East after the fire
with the building labeled |
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North West corner of Columbia and Church circa 1936. Bank of Montreal
on the left - the
Church at the top of Church Street is just visible in the top right corner
of the photo |
The Heritage Grill corner when it was a Safeway grocery store in 1939 |
By 1932, 441 to 445/7 Columbia Street were occupied by the Gernaey Tire
Co., Beaty Washers, Canadian Window Bakeries and Piggley Wiggley Groceries
and Meats. Travelling East was the King Edward Apartment block (razed to
the ground to make way for the Columbia Street Sky Train Station), the
Burr Block and The Queens Hotel. Looking West across Church St. was the
Bank of Montreal.
*History written by Jemma Downes; photos from the New Westminster
Library archives. |
