Port Moody's Jim Millar says it's more important than ever to support heritage at the former Ioco lands, which could soon be developed, as the city prepares for this weekend's Ioco Ghost Town Day.
This year's community celebration of local heritage takes place on Sunday, Oct. 6 at the corner of Ioco Road and First Avenue in PoMo - even though the landowner is seeking development proposals for the area.
Millar, curator of the Port Moody Station Museum, said the property owned by Imperial Oil was deemed a Heritage Conservation Area in 2002, the year Ioco Ghost Town days began.
He said he sought and received permission from Imperial Oil to proceed with the event and Heritage Canada has also provided a grant to help pay for the activities.
"We started doing Ghost Town Days that fall to celebrate it as a heritage conservation area," Millar recalled, adding it's important PoMo residents understand the history and the heritage value of the property.
The Ioco townsite was built in 1921 as a company town for the employees of the Imperial Oil refinery. At one time, it contained 84 houses, a community centre, groceteria, gas station, two churches and a school.
"It operated as a town up until the mid-70s then they started to move the houses away. By 1995 they shut down the refinery and changed it to a storage facility that it is now."
In the spring, Imperial Oil hired Cushman and Wakefield to handle the sale of Ioco's 232 acres; 150 acres are in Anmore and the remaining 82, including the historic Ioco Townsite, in Port Moody.
The vision calls for a master-planned community with a mix of single-family and low-density multi-family housing, neighbourhood services and amenities, waterfront views and potential access to Burrard Inlet.
The Ioco Ghost Town Day on Oct. 6 runs from noon to 4 p.m. and is free. Entertainment will include the Metro Vancouver Firefighters' Band, line dancers, bluegrass music from 5 on a String and a barbershop quartet called Antique Gold. As well, there will be a balloon twister and a magician, displays, crafts and skits about Port Moody's history by Rebel Haunt Theatre.
