The new CN Roundhouse & Conference Centre, at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish, BC, is open for business and available to book your special event. The new venue offers 21,000 square feet of open event space, with up to four breakout rooms and special reception areas. Natural lighting from the huge curving glass wall provides wonderful natural light during daylight hours, and views to the mountains. Geo-thermal technology provides an environmentally friendly footprint for the building and a comfortable climate inside year round. Meeting or dining among treasures of Canada's railway heritage provides a unique and unforgettable experience.

The new CN Roundhouse & Conference Centre offers a unique location that can cater efficiently to groups from 10 to 1,200, with full flexibility to configure space to the unique needs of each client. A huge success in its first year, events held in the space have included:

• Squamish Winter Farmer's Market
• Many weddings (voted best place for a wedding in the Sea to Sky corridor)
• Trade Shows
• High School Grad Party
• Large group banquets and gala events
• Community group meetings
• Children's events and festivals

The opening of the new CN Roundhouse & Conference Centre on June 30, 2010 ushered in a new level of exhibit and meeting space for the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. A brand new climate controlled facility in which the most precious items from our collection of heritage railway rolling stock can now be preserved under ideal conditions is a great addition to the site. It offers the Heritage Park guests a new feature building year round in which they can explore British Columbia's' railway heritage. The CN Roundhouse & Conference Centre is open daily and included as a part of regular heritage park admission. (note that there can be occasional closures for private events, however most events occur outside normal visitor hours)

Exhibits do change from time to time on the seven tracks inside the roundhouse, and some do move out from time to time to accommodate large events. Regular exhibits in the building are the famous Royal Hudson #2860 steam locomotive, the 1890 built wooden business car CPR 16 British Columbia, the 1905 built wooden Colonist sleeping car 3514, and Pacific Great Eastern troop sleeper 722 with its interactive displays and train simulators.

In addition to the railway rolling stock, the John Hardie Mitchell Gallery at the entry area hosts changing exhibitions that typically set up for three to four month stints. There are large washroom facilities, ATM machine, board room, mezzanine viewing area and a future upper deck viewing gallery.

View the roundhouse via our webcam

Check out our photo gallery showing the roundhouse and examples of various exhibits and events.

June 30, 2010 was a great day for the West Coast Railway Association as over 300 gathered to see the official grand opening of the new CN Roundhouse and Conference Centre. For the full story and photos, click here.

Click here to read the story of the construction of the new facility.