NEWS RELEASE                   
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 28, 2006

TLC TO PURCHASE HISTORIC JOY KOGAWA HOUSE

VANCOUVER, BC – TLC The Land Conservancy of British Columbia announced today that it is moving forward with the purchase of the historic Joy Kogawa House and will prevent its demolition.

“While we still need to raise more funds to purchase and operate the house, our ‘option to purchase’ expires this weekend,” explained TLC Executive Director Bill Turner. “We are out of time. So TLC has decided to step forward, and take out a mortgage if necessary, to make sure that this important piece of our country’s heritage will not be lost.”

Turner said that by exercising the option to purchase, it will put the future of Kogawa House under the control of TLC and the community. This, in effect, will take away the threat of imminent redevelopment.  The house had been the subject of a development proposal, and a demolition permit had been requested.  The City of Vancouver put that request on hold for three months in order to allow TLC and the Save Kogawa House Committee the time to raise funds to purchase the property.

To date $230,000 has been raised from over 500 donors. TLC needs $700,000 specifically to purchase the house and is seeking a total of $1.25 million which includes funds for restoration and for an endowment to allow the house to be used both as an educational site addressing the issue of the internment of Canadians of Japanese heritage during the Second World War and as a site for a ‘Writers-in-Residence’ program.

“We are confident that, given enough time, we will be able to raise the necessary funds for this project.  We have requests in to the City of Vancouver and to the Government of Canada, as well as to many other potential donors, and we remain optimistic that their support for this important project will be forthcoming. In the meantime, TLC is prepared to take on the risk and protect the site.”

Noted Canadian Author Joy Kogawa was overwhelmed when told the news that her childhood home would not be demolished. “Words can’t express how much this means to me,” she said. “This is definitely a miracle. What a wonderful new day!”

Turner said that TLC would be exercising the option to purchase (i.e. making the legal commitment) this weekend, and that the purchase will close at the end of May. During that time, TLC needs to call on everyone who wants to help protect this important part of our heritage to make their donation as soon as possible. Donations can be made to TLC at (604) 733-2313 or online at www.conservancy.bc.ca.

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For further information:
TLC:    Bill Turner (250) 213-1090; bturner@conservancy.bc.ca

Heather Skydt (604) 733-2313; hskydt@conservancy.bc.ca
Save Kogawa House Committee:    Ann-Marie Metten (604) 263-6586; ametten@telus.net