A Port Moody heritage home dating back to the city's pre-war days is about to make a journey to new digs amongst of a cluster of old homes reflecting the city's mill and timber history.
Movers are preparing to relocate the Moisio Residence — built in 1912 by Esa Moisio, a millwright at the Thurston Flavelle mill — for possible relocation to at 123 Douglas St. in the late hours of Sunday night.
Fred Soofi, who owns the home and the Douglas Street property, said the hope is to get the services ready in time for Sunday's move, although there are a number of variables that could derail the transport job.
"It has to happen at night and Telus, Shaw, they all have to come," said Soofi, describing some of the work required to be able to truck the one-and-a-half storey Arts and Crafts bungalow from its temporary location at Clarke Street and Barnet Highway five blocks to its final resting place (it was previously located at 2614 St. Johns St.).
Soofi also plans to move the Siddall residence, located at 2901 St. Johns, to the Douglas property, which was subdivided in the fall as part of a Heritage Revitalization Agreement bylaw that will see the two buildings, plus the Sutherland residence that was moved last year, designated as municipal heritage properties, the highest level of heritage protection permitted under the Local Government Act.
All three buildings would have been knocked down if they weren't moved.
"I can save these houses and they will be more valuable in the future," Soofi said. "If I destroy them, there will be nothing left."
He fears other notable buildings will be knocked down as Port Moody develops, and would like to see some standard of notification so people know beforehand and can make efforts to save them.
