Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / A little book house that once stood at Portage Park (pictured) in Chilliwack was repeatedly vandalized and graffitied before it was burned Sunday night, June 9, according to Chilliwack resident Tony Gore. The post where the book house had been mounted has also been removed. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Book house vandalized and burned

Chilliwack company gives up on Portage Park little library after it was repeatedly vandalized and later burned

Jun 10, 2024 | 11:42 AM

CHILLIWACK — Tony Gore of the Gore Brothers development company has cherished the opportunity to build little book houses at various parks across Chilliwack as a way of instilling literacy and a love of books into the hearts of young kids.

Gore, a longtime Chilliwack resident who is the father of two young kids himself, says Gore Brothers teamed up with the Rotary Club of Chilliwack to install five little book houses across Chilliwack.

“Overall, the five book houses have had an amazing response from the public, with many day cares using them,” said Gore.

However, following repeated damage involving vandalism and graffiti to one particular little book house, the straw that broke the camel’s back came Sunday night (June 9) when the Portage Park little book house was burned.

“The Portage Park book house had its door ripped off a few times and graffitied,” Gore said. “We would go back and reinstall it. We also had to remove graffiti a couple times. Unfortunately, on Sunday night, this book house at Portage Park was burned. As much as we love this project, we will unfortunately be giving up on this one.”

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The post containing the book house at Portage Park has since been removed, Gore confirmed. Only the dirt pad where the book house once stood remains.

Book houses at four other locations in Chilliwack remain in good condition with minimal vandalism, Gore pointed out, but not at Portage Park.

Image: Tony Gore / An example of what a regular little book library in Chilliwack looks like.

“It kind of breaks my heart,” said Gore. “I really wanted the one at Portage Park to work as I think there’s probably a lot of little kids in that neighbourhood that would benefit.”

Gore said the book house itself is completely gone at Portage Park. He said there were melted aluminum pieces at the base of it.

“The door was ripped off three times at Portage Park,” Gore said. ” So, we definitely gave it our best shot.”