Picturesque Minoru Chapel a real Richmond gem
BUILT IN 1891: Small wood-frame church has served community in many capacities over the last 127 years
Tucked away in an idyllic park in the heart of Richmond, Minoru Chapel has seen life, death, love and celebrations in its 127-year-old existence.
From its perch — first alongside the Fraser River to its current garden setting — the picturesque white woodframe church has seen Richmond grow from an early settlement and farming community to a bustling multicultural city.
“It’s sure got history,” said operator Allan Burnett of The Chapel at Minoru Park Enterprises, which offers turnkey wedding services for couples, including many from overseas looking for a “western-style” or traditional wedding venue.
“We even got the church bell ringing. You don’t get that in many places anymore.”
Richmond is known for its Highway to Heaven, a stretch of No. 5 Road dotted with temples, churches and mosques that draw modern-day worshippers.
But travel back in time to 1891, just over a decade after Richmond was incorporated as a municipality, and a handful of pioneer families helped build the Richmond Methodist Church on what is now River and Cambie roads — part of a complex that included stables, a manse and a church hall (which still stands in its original location, and is home to the Richmond Rod and Gun Club).
The church’s Carpenter Gothic design was picked out of a catalogue for $7. A local architect named Thomas Hooper, who designed other Methodist churches in Victoria and Nanaimo, tweaked the plan to fit local needs.
“It was one of the first buildings in the City of Richmond,” said Rebecca Forrest, curator of collections for the city.
For years, the church was well-loved and well-used, a religious and community landmark.
In 1925, it became the United Church, serving a predominantly Methodist and Presbyterian congregation.
As the area became more industrial and commercial, the church gradually emptied out. It stood vacant for a period of time, falling into disrepair until 1967, when the city, which purchased the property, relocated it to its present-day location in the park where it was consecrated as an inter-denominational chapel in 1968.
Over the years, the city undertook extensive and careful restoration to restore the chapel to its former glory.
“Our goal is to replace as little as possible, and if we have to replace, we replace using original materials,” said Forrest.
Aside from weddings, the chapel, which has a maximum capacity of 120, also hosts baptisms, celebrations of life and community events, and has been a shooting location for TV and film.
The chapel sees more than 100 weddings a year — a figure Burnett hopes will grow.
“It’s been an amazing choice for couples planning their wedding because it’s set in a beautiful location, it’s quaint, it’s traditional,” he said.