A lapidary workshop is more than a room full of machines. It is shared infrastructure for a community — and in 2026, after years of preparation, planning and volunteer effort, a committed group of members built a new one.
The new Tri-Cities Lapidary Society workshop occupies Units 2 & 3 at The MAX on Kingsway, 2050 Kingsway Avenue in Port Coquitlam. The space has been developed to support saws, grinding and polishing arbors, buffing equipment, work surfaces, storage, instruction and the utilities needed for a modern wet-lapidary workshop.
Preparing for Change
Kyle Centre had been home to the Port Moody Rock and Gem Club since 1978. Over nearly five decades, the City of Port Moody provided support to the Club and helped make it possible for generations of members to learn, practise and share the lapidary arts.
The Club had known for some time that Kyle Centre would eventually be redeveloped, although the timing remained uncertain. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the workshop was closed for approximately a year before activities could gradually resume. That experience reinforced just how important regular access to a workshop is to the health of a hands-on organization like ours.
In the summer of 2025, the Club was advised that the long-anticipated redevelopment of Kyle Centre was moving forward. The City of Port Moody remained supportive of the Club and offered the possibility of workshop space in the future replacement building.
With construction expected to take approximately four years, however, the Club faced the prospect of packing away its equipment and going without a permanent workshop for another extended period.
There were practical considerations as well. Operating within a community centre meant that workshop access was necessarily tied to the building's hours and availability. As the organization looked toward its future, members saw an opportunity to create a workshop with greater independence — one that could offer more flexible hours, accommodate additional activities and give the Society room to grow.
The decision to establish a new workshop was therefore not about leaving Port Moody behind. It was about ensuring that the local lapidary community could continue operating without a lengthy interruption while creating a more flexible foundation for its future.
More Than a Decade of Preparation
Fortunately, the Club had been preparing for this eventuality for more than a decade. Funds had been carefully set aside with the knowledge that Kyle Centre would not be its permanent home.
When the time finally came, that foresight gave the Club the ability to explore its options thoughtfully rather than react under pressure. The goal was to find a solution that could preserve continuity, support long-term growth and provide the kind of access a busy lapidary society needs.
Finding a New Home
Led by a committed group of artisans, experienced volunteers and community builders, the Club began searching for a space that could support the unusual requirements of a lapidary workshop.
The search eventually led to The MAX on Kingsway in Port Coquitlam, a recently renovated industrial property whose ownership group was looking for energetic, creative tenants to help bring new life and activity to the site.
The ownership group worked closely with the Society to develop a lease arrangement that met the needs of both parties, allowing TCLS to establish a new workshop with the space, access and flexibility needed for its activities.
Building the Society and the Workshop Together
The physical workshop was only one part of the project. Throughout 2026, the volunteer team was effectively building a new organization and a new facility at the same time.
Incorporating TCLS
The Tri-Cities Lapidary Society was formally incorporated as a new not-for-profit society, creating the organizational structure needed to carry the local lapidary community forward.
Planning the Space
The team worked through equipment placement, member circulation, storage, work surfaces and the practical realities of operating a busy shared lapidary shop.
Finding the Right Furniture
Workbenches, cabinets, storage and other furnishings were researched and sourced with durability, safety and the demands of lapidary work in mind.
Working With Contractors
Contractors and volunteers worked together to optimize the space and prepare it for equipment, utilities and day-to-day member use.
Working With the City
The Society worked with the City of Port Coquitlam to obtain the appropriate permits, engineer's letters, approvals and business licence needed to operate the new workshop.
Volunteer Effort
Much of the project's success came from members contributing their own time, practical skills, trade knowledge, organizational experience and willingness to solve problems together.
What the Build Includes
Equipment Layout
Planning practical workstations for saws, grinding and polishing arbors, buffers and member work areas while maintaining safe circulation around the shop.
Electrical
Providing safe and convenient power for multiple lapidary machines, with an eye toward reliable operation and future flexibility.
Water and Cleanup
Supporting wet grinding, sinks, sludge filtering, cleanup and the day-to-day needs of a busy shared lapidary workshop.
Storage and Organization
Creating space for rough rock, slabs, tools, supplies, teaching materials and the many small items needed to keep a community workshop running smoothly.
Teaching and Mentoring
Designing the shop so experienced members can work alongside beginners, demonstrate techniques and provide direct supervision where needed.
Flexible Access
Creating a workshop the Society can operate with greater control over its own schedule, allowing more opportunities for regular sessions, instruction, projects and future programming.
A Return to Port Coquitlam
The move carries an added sense of history. Organized lapidary activity in the Tri-Cities began in Port Coquitlam in 1967 before the Club relocated to Kyle Centre in Port Moody in 1978.
Nearly half a century later, lapidary activity is returning to Port Coquitlam in a new purpose-built home — this time in the heart of the city, just down Kingsway from the Port Coquitlam Recreation Centre.
Ready for the Next Chapter
After months of planning, construction, sourcing, permitting and volunteer work, the Tri-Cities Lapidary Society is ready to open its workshop doors at The MAX on Kingsway in September, 2026.
The result is more than a new facility. It is a demonstration of what can happen when artisans, builders, organizers, collectors, tradespeople and community volunteers bring their skills together around a shared goal.
The machines may cut the stone, but it is the people who built the workshop.