This year is the 40th anniversary of Douglas College in New Westminster.

Many people know the school in its downtown location, where it sits prominently at the corner of Royal Avenue and Eighth Street filling an entire block.

Those who know about the college might not be aware of all the things it offers. It is a very interesting place and well worth a visit.

From our files on this fine institution, we offer a few pieces from the school's history.

Douglas College started out in 1970 with a few buildings at the corner of Eighth Avenue at McBride Boulevard - the corner that now is occupied by the Justice Institute.

The first buildings were portable and built above the ground. Early students remember the raised wooden walkways leading from building to building.

The area around the early college was often muddy and very wet, which, at times, made getting to classes a challenge.

The college's first few winters at Eighth and McBride saw lots of snow.

Memories of that time include approaching the "campus" through deep snow from the side that housed the curling club and community centre. Remember, while those buildings were already there, at the time, there was no Canada Games Pool. It wasn't built until 1973.

Another thing to remember from those first years was that there were not enough classrooms for all classes.

Many groups of students met to hold their classes in other buildings around the area.

Some met in available school rooms in local schools, some in church halls and basements, and a few in other simple nondescript buildings, which had space to rent out.

Forms describing a particular course had an added interest in that they also offered directions to find a "classroom."

Since many classes were held at night, it was even more challenging to find the rooms, but it all seemed to work.

In time, the college became part of an ongoing downtown revitalization in New Westminster - one that worked quite well.

Over time, the college was joined in the downtown area by a new courthouse, a completely redone waterfront where housing, businesses, walkways and flowers replaced industry and warehouses, as well as a new rapid transit system.

During the same period the old B.C. Pen site was redeveloped and the Alex Fraser Bridge was built downstream from town.

The college moved to Royal Avenue in 1982 and soon became a special feature of the city.

It had done well at Eighth and McBride, but the new campus was spectacular, though some students had trouble finding their way around.

We have a few more "memories" of the place, but they will have to wait for another column.

For now, from two former students, the authors of this column, Dale in 1976 and Archie a charter student from 1970, happy anniversary Douglas College.