NEWS RELEASE
SUPREME COURT OF B.C. APPROVES SALE OF HISTORIC JOY KOGAWA HOUSE
Court sanctions revised Plan of Arrangement from The Land Conservancy of BC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 28, 2016
Vancouver, BC – The Land Conservancy of B.C. (TLC) has received Supreme Court of B.C. approval to transfer the Historic Joy Kogawa House to the City of Vancouver.
Located in Vancouver’s Marpole neighbourhood, the house is the childhood home of Canadian author Joy Kogawa. Joy is best known as the author of Obasan (1981), based on Joy’s forced relocation as a child during World War II. Joy and her family lived in the house until 1942, when they were sent to an internment camp along with thousands of other Canadians of Japanese descent. The Government of Canada authorized the confiscation of the house under the War Measures Act.
With support from around the world, TLC purchased the property in 2006 to protect the home from being demolished. The house is currently managed by the Historic Joy Kogawa House Society as a heritage and cultural centre, and as a site of healing and reconciliation. The Society facilitates literary events and programming at the house including a Writers-in-Residence program for visiting authors.
“The Kogawa board supports the transfer of the Historic Joy Kogawa House from TLC to the City of Vancouver,” said Ann-Marie Metten, Executive Director of the Historic Joy Kogawa House Society. “We are satisfied by our discussions with the City to date, confirmed by a letter from Patrick Murphy of the City’s Real Estate and Facilities Management Department dated October 24, 2016, that the City will enter into a lease with the Historic Joy Kogawa House Society at a nominal rent to permit the continued use of the Historic Joy Kogawa House as a cultural and education centre, as Joy Kogawa has envisioned.”
The property is to be transferred for $634,000 on November 1, 2016. Funds from the sale will retire the $134,000 mortgage on title and pay TLC’s creditors as per the organization’s Plan of Arrangement and Compromise (POA).
“The Board of Directors and I are thrilled to have this agreement for Kogawa House approved by the Court today,” said Cathy Armstrong, TLC’s Executive Director. “The Board of Directors and I are looking forward to the conclusion of the CCAA process in the near future.”
The sale of the Historic Joy Kogawa House was included in the organization’s original POA which was sanctioned by the Supreme Court of British Columbia on April 2, 2015. The Plan recognized TLC’s commitment to pay creditors to the greatest extent possible and ensure that properties remain protected.
Having completed all but three of the transactions contemplated in the POA, TLC has submitted a revised POA to Court for approval to complete the creditor process. Sanctioned today by the Court, the revised POA will require a vote by creditors in early December. The completion of TLC’s revised POA will require the sale of densities zoned on Abkhazi Garden, 6% undivided interest in Maltby Lake and the transfer of Wildwood Ecoforest.
Upon conclusion of the CCAA process TLC will continue to protect sensitive ecosystems throughout B.C. through the monitoring and enforcement of more than 230 conservation covenants.
About The Land Conservancy of BC
The Land Conservancy of BC (TLC) is a non-profit, charitable Land Trust working throughout British Columbia. TLC’s primary mandate is to benefit the community by protecting habitat for natural communities of plants and animals. Founded in 1997, TLC is membership-based and governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Directors. TLC relies on a strong membership and volunteer base to help maintain its operations.
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Media Contact:
Cathy Armstrong
Executive Director
The Land Conservancy of B.C.
carmstrong@conservancy.bc.ca
Office (250) 479-8053
Cell (250) 588-4945
