Kogawa House: Can we save the house? Can we move the house?
Lots of developments happening…
Monday, we met with Vancouver Heritage Foundation, and discussed
strategies to save the house, and create a way for the present owner to
donate the house to the VFH. To preserve the house at its
present location will mean a purchase price of around $700,000.
To move the house will mean $50,000 + building a $200,000 foundation
later. What is cheaper?
The owner has not been willing to sell, so trying to save the house
from demolition and move it seems the best idea. There is a
proposed park that will commemorate the Japanese Canadian community at
Selkirk and 72nd Ave.
To avoid the demolition of the house, we have planned to go to City
Council to ask for a stay of demolition, due to the Heritage quality of
the house.
Initially that would have been Oct 20 – but the demolition application has not been submitted yet.
But yesterday, the owner may have had a change of heart… Gerry
McGeough, senior planner for City of Vancouver, may have brokered a
deal where the owner will delay demolition for 120 days, allowing us to
raise funds to purchase the house.
This is great news. The house may not be destroyed yet… and it gives us time to raise monies.
Because of these latest developments, Joy will not be interviewed for
CBC Radio Early Edition on Thursday morning. CBC wants to wait and see
what happens next!