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City of Richmond presents grant to Steveston church for upgrades

Steveston Village Heritage Conservation Grant provides financial assistance to protect heritage buildings in the village
Valerie Leung
Valerie Leung
Richmond Conservation Grant recipient
Richmond City Council presented the Steveston Village Heritage Conservation Grant cheque to Richmond Hospital/Healthcare Auxiliary board members. From Left to Right: Councillor Carol Day, Councillor Andy Hobbs, Debby Newton, Mayor Malcolm Brodie, Ursula Van Duin [President], Councillor Bill McNulty, Valerie Burkimsher, Al Martin, Councillor Chak Au.City of Richmond

A former Steveston church built by volunteers received a grant of $150,000 for building upgrades.

Richmond Hospital/Healthcare Auxiliary, which owns the building, was approved for the Steveston Village Heritage Conservation Grant program in May 2019.

The funds from the grant are used to replace the structural foundation of the former Steveston Methodist Church – a protected heritage building that is currently operated as a non-profit thrift shop.

The program comes from charges levied on developments in exchange for more density.

Funds have been collected since 2009 when the program was established and aims to provide financial assistance to property owners for conserving the exterior of 17 protected heritage buildings in the Steveston Village Conservation Area.

The maximum funding amount per heritage building is $150,000. There is also an additional grant of $100,000 maximum per building with matching private funds if approved by the council.

The Steveston Methodist Church is one of the oldest churches in Richmond, and the oldest to be on its original site.

At different times, it was the Steveston Methodist Church, the Methodist Indian Mission and the Steveston United Church. As the United Church, it amalgamated the Caucasian and Japanese congregations after the Second World War.