After over nine years of service to the community, the Port Moody Station Museum has decommissioned the McKnight Trench World War One exhibit, first constructed in 2014.

Initially built as a tribute to Lt. Augustus Wilberforce McKnight, a resident of Port Moody, and a Canadian Engineer, who lost his life in Belgium in service of his country in the "Great War" on August 6, 1916. The trench has served as an extraordinary educational tool for both students and adults throughout the lower mainland for almost a decade.

In July of 2014, Guy Black and Carey Price began a re-enactment of what life was like in the trenches during WWI. This offered visitors a glimpse into the challenging life experienced by the soldiers. Eager guests witnessed firsthand the soldiers' routines, watching them complete daily chores and sleeping exposed to the elements. Due to overwhelming interest and enthusiasm from visitors, the museum made a significant decision to construct a 70-foot trench at the back of the Museum.

The first trench was filled in and a second trench was designed by John Goheen, a battlefield historian. The trench plans included No Man’s Land, and reinforcement, observation, and protection elements normally found in a WW I trench.

The new trench would take seven months to complete and was constructed by hand. This huge undertaking of constructing the McKnight Centennial Trench was led by Guy Black.

Members of the 6th Engineer Squadron Cadets from North Vancouver and the Royal Westminster Regiment Army Cadet Corps from Aldergrove volunteered to start excavating following the ceremony. The cadets devoted hundreds of hours to laying barbed wire, digging shell craters and filling and piling hundreds of sandbags.

The community was invited to help with the construction. This brought in some keen helpers and many stayed to help throughout the seven months. This group was later referred to as the Trench Squad.

On November 10, 2022, the McKnight Trench was officially decommissioned and a final candlelight vigil was held in the trench. Although the trench may be gone, it has not been forgotten. The Port Moody Heritage Society has recently added a tribute to the McKnight Trench to their webpage. This legacy provides insight into what the project brought to the community and includes hours of video footage produced by Tri-Cities Community Television.