A biblical rainstorm last October means an historic Port Moody church won’t be able to hold its traditional Christmas Eve service on Dec. 24.
The atmospheric river that inundated B.C.’s south coast Oct. 18 and 19 caused flooding in the basement of the 100-year-old Inlet United Church at the west end of Ioco Road.
The damage displaced a daycare that occupies the space and while the water didn’t affect the sanctuary upstairs, Pastor Jennifer Swanson said the ongoing construction work means the church’s traditional 9 p.m. candlelight service will have to be held at its new facility at 2315 Spring St., where there’s also a family-style service scheduled for 6 p.m.
Swanson said other then during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when public health regulations restricted large gatherings, this will be the first time the church has been dark on Christmas Eve.
“It’s a nostalgic place,” said Swanson of the little white clapboard church that can accommodate up to 60 people when it’s full.
She said many of the people who attend the candlelight service on Christmas Eve have been doing so for years, or are carrying on a tradition passed down through their families.
“They love that little church,” Swanson said.
The October flood resulted in damage to the basement’s floors, walls, cabinetry and bathrooms, which all had to be torn out and are in the early stages of being rebuilt.
It also cascaded to the church’s exterior when an assessment by a contractor discovered drainage problems on the property that needed to be resolved to prevent a recurrence.
Swanson said while most of the damage is being covered by insurance, the high deductible is still a financial blow to the small congregation, necessitating a pause on its plans for a centennial celebration until sometime later in 2025.
It’s not the first time the little church has faced a hardship.
Just five years ago it was almost felled by the costs of chopping down a massive tree on the property as well as replacing a failing boiler. But it was resurrected from the brink of closure by a merger with St. Andrews United Church that was in the early stages of redeveloping its property on St. Johns Street into a mixed-use project with affordable housing, a children’s centre as well as space for services and community outreach.
“It was a bit of a gut punch,” Swanson said of the church’s latest challenge. “It’s going to be rather sad not to be there this year.”
Financial aid for flooding victims extended to more communities
B.C.’s Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness announced Friday it will extend financial assistance for people, businesses, organizations and communities affected by flooding from the October storms to Port Moody and Anmore as well as the City of Surrey.
Those are in addition to communities like Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam that were already declared eligible for the disaster help on Nov. 25.
The money — up to $400,000 — is available to homeowners, renters, business owners, farmers, corporate-owned properties and charitable organizations to help compensate for losses that aren’t already covered by insurance.
The deadline to submit applications for assistance is March 13, 2025.
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