Description of Historic Place

Set against the backdrop of Burrard Inlet, Ioco United Church is a one-storey structure with a full basement, a steeply pitched front-gabled roof and a belfry. It is located on Ioco Road, and marks the entry to Ioco townsite, the early Imperial Oil Company town. The Church is located at the eastern entry point to the townsite, across from Ioco School and the Bowling Green.

Heritage Value

Ioco United Church is significant as a community institution that has served the religious needs of the Ioco community for many decades. Constructed in 1924, it was first built as St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. The emigration of Presbyterians from Scotland and Ireland throughout central and western Canada resulted in the establishment of numerous Presbyterian churches. Church Union in 1925 created the United Church, the largest Protestant denomination in Canada. St. Andrew's Presbyterian joined the United Church of Canada in 1925 and is now known as the Ioco United Church.

Ioco United Church is additionally valued for its connection with the growth of the Ioco townsite, the company town developed by the Imperial Oil Company near its refinery on the north shore of Burrard Inlet. In 1921, Dominion Construction, one of Vancouver's most successful construction firms, subdivided and built the first new houses to be purchased by Imperial Oil company's employees. The rapid influx of Ioco's population necessitated the construction of a church to serve the community's spiritual needs. Donations from the Imperial Oil Company and the Missionary Society of the Church allowed for the construction of the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, which was built by volunteers under the leadership of Charles Allan (1908-1973) of Port Moody. Since that time the church has served the community, and is now the only remaining church in Ioco.

Ioco United Church displays the vernacular influence of the Arts and Crafts movement, as seen in the shingle cladding, triangular brackets, scrollcut rafters and handcrafted elements such as the wrought iron strap hinges on the front door. The use of a style consistent with the townsite’s housing stock demonstrates the remarkable stylistic consistency that was achieved in this isolated company town.

Source: City of Port Moody Heritage Planning Files

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of Ioco United Church include its:
- prominent location at the eastern entrance of the Ioco townsite, across from Ioco School, the Bowling Green and the Canadian Pacific Railway track
- ecclesiastical form, scale and massing as expressed by its one-storey height with full basement, rectangular plan with front-gabled roof, belfry and projecting front-gabled enclosed porch
- wood-frame construction with cedar shingle siding
- Arts and Crafts elements such as triangular eave brackets, scrollcut rafters and wrought iron strap hinges on the front door
- wooden-sash casement windows with transoms
- interior features such as wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling
- landscape features including mature deciduous trees