Ioco Falls Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Placed as part of the BCGA's Blitz '07 event.
Best approach is to walk in along trail that starts at guardrail
close to water. Do not bushwhacked in from road. Lots of thorns
that way and thick vegetation will be damaged. GPS can get jumpy.
Hint should lead you there if needed.
Enjoy this peaceful setting where a small stream reaches the ocean
at Burrard Inlet. while learning a little bit about the early
history of the development of this area of Port Moody.
How did they come up with such an unusal name? Maybe it has some
significant native meaning? Maybe it is a notable resident?
Sorry… nothing like that. It actually stands for Imperial
Oil Company. I.O.Co.
The community developed in the early 20th century as an
oil-refining centre. The refinery closed in 1995. Construction of
the Ioco Town site for refinery workers at the Imperial Oil site
began in 1921, and when completed, had 81 houses, two churches, a
school, bowling green (lawn bowling), community center, and a
championship baseball team. Starting in about 1953, the company
started buying, moving, or demolishing the homes of residents who
died or moved away because the encroachment of adjacent
municipalities meant the refinery was no longer isolated. The City
of Port Moody, which has encroached and swallowed the Ioco region,
has approved a new heritage designation. This will save the
remaining 13 houses and three community buildings, and allow new
houses to be built in character with the neo-community town, the
last of its kind in the Lower Mainland. The plan is to preserve the
heritage character of it including relocating existing buildings
where necessary (such as the community center that is built over a
stream), and retain the existing street layout, the landscape, and
the southern orientation.
Each fall the IOCO GHOST TOWN DAYS are held on the town
site. Markers are placed at the location of each residence or
former residence with notes about the people who lived there. There
are demonstations from local community groups of square dancing,
highland dancing, lawn bowling, as well as other entertainment.
There are pie contests, heritage information and kids carnival
games. It was at Ghost Town Days that I was told the story of one
of the larger homes being sold to someone (on the Island I believe)
and they moved the whole house down First Avenue to the pier near
where you park for this cache and put it on a barge to ship it to
it's new location. I have been tryign to get that photo, but so far
no luck. Maybe soon?
While you are here caching, you should try to grab 911 turbos
"Welcome to Ioco" cache. There are also caches to be found towards
Belcarra which is another beautiful area well worth the
drive.
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Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Sbyybj genvy gbjneqf snyyf gura genvy pheirf hcuvyy. Ybbx va onfr bs gnyy pbavsrebhf gerr ng raq bs cngu. Pbirerq jvgu trbfgvpxf. Cyrnfr ercynpr gurz.
Treasures
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