Nancy Furness' guest, Rev. David Cathcart of Trinity United Church in Port Coquitlam, is in studio to discuss the plans that Trinity United has to develop their property into a multi use facility which will include some much needed social housing for the Port Coquitlam community.

This is the 120th year that Trinity United has been servicing the community and Rev. Cathcart says they have moved to different locations throughout the years but always with the thought of acquiring property that can serve the needs of the greater community.

In the 1980s Trinity United Church participated in a self-examination process called “Vitalization” - looking at who they were as a congregation and establishing priorities. As a result of this process, affordable subsidized non-market housing emerged as a priority. A discernment process arrived at a congregational consensus of building a project serving both families and seniors together. With the assistance of funding from both levels of government property was leased for a period of 60 years to Stewart House Society who have ably managed the project since 1994 supporting the housing needs of handicapped, seniors, and families.

The congregation at Trinity United feel that too many people are slipping through the ever increasing cracks in our social welfare system and the time has come for them to take the next step in their service of their community.

While they have not yet gotten as far as drawing up any architectural plans, the intent would be to expand upon their existing structure by building from two to six stories and utilizing the newly created space for social housing. Currently Trinity United is working with a small grant from VanCity and are looking for funding from BC Housing and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Trinity United Church will be celebrating their 125th anniversary five years from now. Rev. Cathcart feels that setting a goal of opening a facility with room for 125 beds is a reasonable target for which they can aim.