Building Full Accessibility for Historic Joy Kogawa House
A major renovation project for Historic Joy Kogawa House is moving ahead in Summer 2026. Plans include building a ramp to provide step-free entry, a universal accessible washroom, and widening doors for wheelchair access. These upgrades will meet our commitment to expand opportunities for public use of the house.
Driven by the vision of our Board of Directors and the community, Historic Joy Kogawa House Society engaged Merrick Architecture, an award-winning Vancouver-based firm with decades of experience in heritage rehabilitation, to create a design that balances accessibility with historical preservation.
In 2021, we began the first phase of accessibility renovations by updating pathways from the street to the house.
“As someone with reduced physical mobility, it is often difficult for me to access the Historic Joy Kogawa House. I also have friends who are in wheelchairs who have been unable to attend literary events, readings, and workshops. As an important house, museum, historical venue, and artists’ site, I believe it imperative that we make Joy Kogawa House accessible for all members of the society and community it serves. There have been several times I could not access programs in the House because I could not walk up and down the stairs due to my differing abilities. They were programs and people I missed dearly.”
Cathleen With,
author of Having Faith in the Polar Girls’ Prison
Current Accessibility Upgrades
We added a handrail and tactile strips to improve the accessibility of the existing concrete steps from the front sidewalk.
Revisions to rise and run, including closed risers and wider treads were complete. Tactile nosing strips and handrail were added to improve the front door access.
Closed risers and wider treads were complete. Fresh paint and tactile nosing strips were applied to the back deck stairs. Existing handrail.
The retaining wall in front of the house has been removed and replaced with replica heritage stone pillars, allowing low-slope access to the front lawn where we host many events.
Accessibility renovations possible with funding support from:
Help bring creativity and collaboration to life:
- $50 will contribute to the monthly honorarium for our writer-in-residence
- $150 will pay one writer to participate in a shared reading
- $300 will pay one writer to lead one writing workshop
- $1,000 will help increase accessibility