Bilodeau House

The Bilodeau House is associated with the turn-of-the-twentieth-century development of downtown New Westminster, marking a formative period in B.C.'s resource-based economy. Built in 1906 and attributed to architect C.H. Clow, the Bilodeau House is valued as a fine example of the Edwardian-era Classical Revival style. Set in a prominent site at the corner of Carnarvon and Merivale Streets, this grand house demonstrates the social, cultural, and aesthetic values of local wealthy businessmen of the early twentieth century - values such as appreciation of architectural elegance and grand interior spaces. The prominent siting and elaborate construction indicate Bilodeau's prestigious standing in the community.

This site is significant for its association with Peter Onesime Bilodeau (1851-1940) and his wife Ellen Elizabeth (1858-1939). Peter Bilodeau was well-known in New Westminster as an hotelier, and also owned property in downtown Port Moody. By 1890 he was able to build a hotel on a prime location opposite the CPR Station. When his hotel burned in the fire of 1898 he rebuilt, and later took over the larger, more prominent Windsor Hotel in 1907, which he ran until his retirement in 1917.