Unauthorized renovations of Joy Kogawa Home in Vancouver

Fri Dec 5 15:30:32 EST 2003

Dear Friends,

As per the information below, we received word yesterday that significant unauthorized alterations were going on at the Kogawa family home in Vancouver, immortalized in Joy's classic novel Obasan. Please find below my message to Mayor Campbell and the Vancouver City Council informing them of the situation and asking them to take immediate action.

Could you send a similar message to the Vancouver City Council and ask anyone else you know of to do the same? The email address to send to would be
mayorandcouncil at city.vancouver.bc.ca Thank you for your assistance. Best wishes, Anton.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: awagner 
To: mayorandcouncil at city.vancouver.bc.ca 

Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 1:34 PM
Subject: Unauthorized renovations of Joy Kogawa Home at 1450 West 64th Ave.

Dear Mayor Campbell and Vancouver City Councillors,

The Vancouver Heritage Commission and the Vancouver Heritage Foundation have both recommended to the Vancouver City Council that the former Joy Kogawa home at 1450 West 64th Avenue, immortalized in Joy's novel Obasan about the forced evacuations and internment of Japanese Canadians during W.W.II, be listed as an "A" heritage designated building.

The new owner of the building has rushed to make significant changes to the house despite attempts by the Vancouver Heritage Commission to meet with the owner to discuss the cultural and heritage significance of the building and the need for its preservation.

Alterations to the house began two days ago and may be irreparable by the time the Vancouver Heritage Commission meets with the new owner on Monday. I urge you to take action
immediately to preserve the cultural and heritage integrity of the Kogawa home. This is a cultural matter of great interest to people across Canada and internationally, as indicated by the hundreds of letters of support posted on our website
http://kogawa.homestead.com

As Vancouver prepares for the Olympic Games, this question of how the City preserves its cultural heritage, as shown by how Vancouver City Council responds to this emergency with the Joy Kogawa home, will be of great interest to Canadians and visitors to Canada. Please act now to save the Joy Kogawa home. Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Anton Wagner,
Secretary, Joy Kogawa
Homestead Committee
416-863 1209
fax: 416-863 9973
http://kogawa.homestead.com

----- Original Message ----- 
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 5:53 PM
Subject: RE: 1450 West 64th Ave Renovations

Hello Anton, 
I am shocked and dismayed that the new owner would proceed with changes without applying for permits. I can assure you that the City of Vancouver was not informed about this. Terry is in the process of alerting the District Building Inspectors who will go out to the property and assess whether a "Stop Work Order" can be applied to the site and visiting the site himself to verify what's occurring.  In addition he has made contact with the rental agent for the new owners and is arranging a meeting with the owner and the agent as soon as possible. A Stop Work Order, is a serious issue for an owner to address and restricts any further work occurring to the site until approved through the Cities permitting process.  

For clarity purposes, we sent a registered letter to the home of the new owners last week, requesting a meeting to go over their plans for the property and alerting them to the heritage value of the site. We had  not heard back from them.  

The house is not listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register, nor are there any restrictions against changes to the building that would normally be permitted under the area zoning. City staff have flagged the site if any permits are applied for which would give city staff  the opportunity to discuss with the owners alternate approaches before a permit was issued.  however if an owner proceeds without approvals we won't hear about it unless an e-mail such as this is sent.   

The latest news that we have from the rental agent is that the new owner is planning on moving onto the house herself.

Terry will keep you informed as to our progress, thank your for alerting staff so quickly. If you have any further information please let us know.   
regards
Yardley  McNeill,
Vancouver Heritage Commission
  -----Original Message-----
  From: awagner [mailto:awagner at yorku.ca] 
  Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 1:28 PM
  To: Yardley McNeill
  Cc: Terry Brunette; Tracy Matsuo; Tim Nakayama; Stephanie Gould; Roy Miki; Margaret Steffler; Lois Wilson; Linda Ohama; Joy Kogawa; Daphne Marlatt; Chris Kurata; Keiko Miki; David Kogawa
  Subject: Fw: 1450 West 64th Ave Renovations

  Dear Yardley,

  Terry Brunette had assured us that the City would flag any applications for renovations at the Kogawa home. Joy Kogawa left for Hawaii this morning to see her daughter and grandchildren. It is extremely upsetting for us that this construction is going on when we were under the impression that the Vancouver Heritage Commission was establishing communication and dialogue with the new owner of the Kogawa home to discuss the heritage preservation of the house in an orderly manner. Please advise us how the City inspectors can put a stop to the renovation/construction going on at the Kogawa home.

  Anton Wagner,
  Secretary, Joy Kogawa
  Homestead Organizing Committee
  416-863 1209
  fax: 416-863 9973

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 3:58 PM
  Subject: Re: 1450 West 64th Ave

  Dear Terry, Steve and Diane,

  Can anything be done re the reports below of renovations/alterations at the Kogawa home? We were all under the impression that the Vancouver Heritage Commission designation would prevent the kind of renovations/alterations being reported below. Please advise. 

  Anton Wagner
  Secretary, Joy Kogawa
  Homestead Organizing Commitee
  416-863 1209
  fax: 416-863 9973

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 8:17 PM
  Subject: House renovations

  Dear Anton---I would say that a substantial amount of change has happened for the short time (day or two) of work. I didn't mean to sound like it was nothing to be concerned about.....because I think if the work isn't stopped or supervised properly, much of the historical essence of the home as described by Joy and in Obasan.....will be lost. We are just lucky that the original windows have been salvaged (to now).
  A few more days, who knows what the workers will remove...they seem to be very fast workers.
  David will probably write and update you as well.
  Linda O

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 8:04 PM
  Subject: Lots of construction on the house

  Dear Anton---Please call me when you get a chance.
  I have just returned from the house and there have been lots of changes....12 windows and 3 doors and the music room partition..........David was there and Terry Brunette also showed up..............I am not sure what the  city is going to do.....
  Linda  604 732 7215

      ----- Original Message ----- 

      Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 2:31 PM
      Subject: re: 1450 West 64th Ave

      Hi Anton,

      Ann-Marie Metten phoned to say workers are at the site this morning and are replacing windows and converting the front "sun room' into a second liveable space for rental. The workers apparently agree to let us have the original windows so I'm going there this afternoon and see if they would allow us to store the originals in the back yard garage.

      Obviously it's now very urgent that Terry Brunette or some other official from the Vanc Heritage Foundation meet with the owner to communicate our interest in the property and to put on hold any further renovations until we have a chance to negotiate a rent to purchase agreement.

      David.

      ----- Original Message ----- 
      Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 6:39 PM
      Subject: 1450 West 64th Avenue

      As mentioned, a summary of discussion at the Vancouver Heritage Commission concerning the preservation of the former home of Joy Kogawa follows below:

        a.. A sub-committee of the Vancouver Heritage Commission is being formed to provide advice with regard to preservation of the former Joy Kogawa home.  It should be clearly understood that this committee can in no way supplant the efforts of the group presently seeking non- profit status who will actively pursue the long-term protection and preservation of this house.  Raising public awareness and financial contributions by your group was supported and encouraged by the members of the sub-committee. 

        b.. The City of Vancouver is unable to purchase the house and recommends the Joy Kogawa Homestead Corporation continue to pursue options for purchase or rental. 

        c.. The Cultural Affairs Office acknowledges the significance of the property but has no "tools" e.g. policy, precedents, programs or cash, to consider the capital acquisition or sustaining funding of such a cultural amenity.  

        d.. Relocation of the house to another City owned parcel of land remains a possibility for investigation. 

        e.. The City of Vancouver will contact the new owner with regard to listing the house on the register.  Such measures as an Order for Temporary Protection or required Designation are extreme measures and have not been used before. 

        f.. There are limited land-use/heritage incentives which could be applied such as creating a secondary suite or strata titling the existing house into 2 units.  Such measures would require a Heritage Revitalization Agreement and a neighborhood notification.  There might be problems with the existing zoning re traffic, parking, etc. 

        g.. A suggestion was made that the JK Homestead Corporation seek a short term grant and hire an individual to provide a point contact and begin to administer the affairs of the Corporation.  Two names were suggested and could be contacted: please let me know if this would be helpful. 

        h.. As requested, donation pledges have been forwarded.  Please contact me if you have any questions.  
      Regards, 

      Terry Brunette, Heritage Planner 

      November 26, 2003

      Please accept this letter from the National Nikkei Museum and Heritage Centre, a national Japanese Canadian museum and cultural organization, supporting Joy Kogawa and the work of the Joy Kogawa Homestead Committee to save the home of the renowned author.

      To the Japanese Canadian community and to Canada, Joy's stories have captured an important aspect of Canadian history. Her contribution has enriched Canadian literature, and she has told a story of many of our people with dignity and grace. Most importantly, through her, Canadians have gained a better understanding of the need for harmony, understanding and cultural exchange. It is the opinion of our organization that saving her home will be a legacy for all Canadians, today and for the future.

      Thank you very much for accepting our letter and we ask that you join with others in saving Joy Kogawa's home.

      Yours sincerely,

      Fred Yada
      President, National Nikkei Museum 
      and Heritage Centre
      6688 Southoaks Crescent
      Burnaby, B.C. V5E 4M7

      November 11, 2003

      At the National Association of Japanese Canadians Annual General Meeting in early October, Linda Ohama made a presentation requesting support for the project to preserve the Kogawa home.

      The Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association would like to acknowledge and endorse the need to preserve the Kogawa homestead. This essential piece of property should be preserved as a historic site because of its significance not only to Japanese Canadians but to all Canadians.

      We acknowledge the timely need for financial and other forms of support to save the Kogawa home.

      On behalf of the board of the Greater Vancouver JCCA, we offer our services in support of this project. 

      Yours sincerely,

      Ron Nishimura
      President, Greater Vancouver
      Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association
      #200 - 6688 Southoaks Crescent, 
      Burnaby, B.C. V5E 4M7

      THE JOY KOGAWA HOMESTEAD COMMITTEE

      Aims and Objectives:

      The aim of the Joy Kogawa Homestead Committee is to prevent the destruction of the  Kogawa family home at 1450 West Sixty-fourth Avenue in Marpole, Vancouver, between Granville and Cartier Streets, and to have the house designated as a historic site and converted into a cultural centre. 

      Joy and her brother Timothy Nakayama and their parents moved from Kitsilano to the Marpole house in the mid-1930s. In 1942, under the War Measures Act, the federal government seized the family home as well as the property of 21,000 other Japanese-Canadians. Along with thousands of others, Joy's family was forcibly evacuated by the Canadian government and interned in the silver-mining "ghost town" of Slocan City deep in the mountain forests of the Kootenays. The government's "Custodian of Enemy Alien Property" auctioned off the homes, farms, fishing boats and other property of Japanese-Canadians seized during the Second World War at rock bottom prices. At the conclusion of the War in August of 1945, thousands of Japanese-Canadians were deported to Japan. Joy's family was uprooted again and relocated further from the coast-"East of the Rockies"-to Coaldale, Alberta, where they lived among the Japanese-Canadian sugar beet workers. Restrictions on travel for Japanese-Canadians were not lifted until 1949.

      The loss of the Kogawa home, and the suffering caused by the forced evacuation and internment of Japanese-Canadians is movingly told in Joy Kogawa's classic Canadian novel Obasan and its adaptation for younger readers, Naomi's Road. In her second novel, Itsuka, Joy Kogawa chronicled the struggle by Japanese-Canadians to win government compensation for their loss of property, disenfranchisement, detention, restriction of movement and loss of their democratic rights. Joy's Obasan, and her own active participation in this redress movement with the National Association of Japanese Canadians, were instrumental in winning government compensation in 1988.

      The small house confiscated from Joy Kogawa's family in 1942 has miraculously survived but is now up for sale and may be razed by a new buyer wishing to build a larger house on the property. Joy's childhood home in Vancouver could be what the Anne Frank House is in Amsterdam. It could provide educational background to its visitors as well as being a reminder of a time in history that we want to ensure is never repeated. History is fragile and always in danger of being rewritten or forgotten. In preserving the Kogawa home, we can teach future generations about the suffering perpetrated by our society in dispossessing and disenfranchising vulnerable minorities. As Joy's brother, the Rev. Timothy Nakayama has written, "Can the house where we once lived now become a place to learn about freedom and human rights? Our experiences as people of Japanese ancestry in North and South America need to be known so that these tragedies may not be repeated."

      The availability of the Kogawa home provides a wonderful opportunity for the city of Vancouver, the province of British Columbia, and the federal government to take immediate action to ensure that this house will be preserved as a historic site for all Canadians. If this one home, out of all those taken away from Japanese-Canadians during the dark period of internment, could be returned to all the people of Canada, the act would be symbolic and powerful indeed. 

      Joy Kogawa's home should be recognized as a heritage site so that it can provide a strong symbol of what so many families lost. It is a lesson about the insidiousness of racism, a lesson that Canadians must face in the light of day so that our vision of a harmonious multi-cultural society has a chance to be fulfilled. 

      What an extraordinary gift it would be to the people of Canada and to visitors from around the world to have the house that Joy Kogawa lived in before her family was sent to the camps in World War II restored as an historic site. School children could visit this site and learn more about our country's history and the dark side of that history. Adults, too, who may have forgotten what happened to the Japanese-Canadians at this time, could hear the story again and be reminded of how vulnerable our freedom is, how easily it can be taken away, how carefully, how tenaciously we need to care for it. And all of us, including foreign visitors, could see first hand one of the great strengths of our democracy-in the fearless witness to the truth, however dark that truth may be.

      The significance of the Kogawa home in Canadian history and literature makes it essential that the government designate the house as a historic site for all Canadians. For hundreds of moving public expressions for the need to save the Kogawa home, please visit the Joy Kogawa Homestead website http://kogawa.homestead.com

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