Description of Historic Place

The South Arm Presbyterian Church is a small, rectangular church building with a gable roof and tower, situated on a prominent corner lot. The historic place is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

An important landmark in the Gilmore area of Richmond, the South Arm Presbyterian Church has an historical association to the development of the South Arm community in Richmond, and to many of its prominent pioneers, including Thomas Kidd, Archibald Blair and Charles London, who were involved in its construction and made up its congregation. Replacing the early church services held at London's Landing, the church was built at the intersection of No. 3 Road and Steveston Highway, away from the river front, at a time when newly constructed roads were giving people more access to and movement through the centre of Lulu Island and communities were growing.

Originally located prominently on the corner of its present site, the design of the church is simple, a fine example of early country church architecture, and representative of the efforts of local citizens to build their own community church in the South Arm. Its closure in 1925 after the amalgamation of churches in Richmond is representative of the history of churches in Richmond.

Source: City of Richmond Clerk's Department File #4200-02

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements of the South Arm Presbyterian Church include:
- Its landmark location at a prominent intersection and its relationship to the site and the street
- Its simple church form, consisting of a rectangular plan with a front gable roof and a gable roofed porch on the east façade
- The square tower located towards the front of the church, with its four sided, bell-cast roof and finial
- Exterior details including wooden drop-siding and the remaining windows which are wooden sash gothic arched windows with coloured leaded glass