ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn, kˈɜːnəl ɹˈɪtʃɚd mˈuːdi mˌeɪd ðə fˈɜːst mˈɑːdɚn ɐtˈɛmpt tə bɹˈeɪk θɹuː ðə θˈɪk fˈɔːɹɪsts ðæt kˈʌvɚd ðɪ ˈɛɹiəz nˈaʊ nˈoʊn æz ɹˈɛnfɹuː kˈɑːlɪŋwˌʊd, bˈɪldɪŋ ɐ mˈɪlətˌɛɹi tɹˈeɪl ɔnðə ɹˈaʊt əvən ˈeɪntʃənt fˈɜːst nˈeɪʃənz tɹˈeɪl ðæt lˈɛd fɹʌm nˈuː wˈɛstmɪnstɚ tʊ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ bˈeɪ.
In 1861, Colonel Richard Moody made the first modern attempt to break through the thick forests that covered the areas now known as Renfrew–Collingwood, building a military trail on the route of an ancient First Nations trail that led from New Westminster to English Bay.