The snow wreaked havoc on many corners of Halfmoon Bay recently but the neighbours in Square Bay saw the loss of one of their local landmarks, The Square Bay Little Library. The Little Library, or Book Bin, was a passion project and gesture of love of their neighbourhood (and one another) for the Rozewicz family. I spoke to Alysia Rozewicz about the history behind the Little Library, the recent accident and what comes next.
John and Karen Rozewicz moved onto Truman Road 11 years ago. John, a lifetime tinkerer and builder, wanted to surprise his wife with a “book nook.” They had seen similar structures and concepts in their travels and he wanted to make something at home. John built this book nook, now known as the Square Bay Little Library, entirely on his own four years ago. The addition of the piano, also a surprise, was simply kismet. Their family piano was about to have nowhere to go and was at risk of being given away, or worse destroyed, when he decided to bring it to the Coast from Coquitlam. The piano, a Mozart edition, has been in the family for 70 years. Karen Rozewicz started piano lessons at the age of 8, her daughter Alysia at age 5 but John knew by bringing the piano home and sharing it they wouldn’t be the only ones to play it.
The Little Library was beloved by neighbours and visitors alike. It even has its own entry on Google Maps with a 5-star rating, the Rozewiczs tell me they didn’t create the listing, it just popped up one day. They didn’t need Google to get reviews, however, the comment book contained all they needed to hear. Alysia said one of the highlights for her was reading comments from others that love and appreciate it as much as her family does, others who see the value it brings to the neighbourhood. The Rozewiczs loved listening to people of all ages and skill levels play the piano, take and leave books and even complete puzzles in the Little Library.
Unfortunately, on Feb. 3, after heavy snow, a truck lost control on the Truman Road S curve and crashed sideways into the Little Library, sending the entire structure off the embankment and into the trees. Luckily their home was not damaged, or the truck driver hurt. The truck was stuck for several days as road conditions were slow to improve. After the accident, with the structure in pieces and hanging like a treehouse, neighbours came together to salvage what they could. They knew the building couldn’t be saved but they wanted to try and get the piano out safely. John took the front wall off, a neighbour came with a small excavator, and they hoisted the piano out and onto a truck. The excavator lifted the nook structure, and it collapsed and broke into pieces. Neighbours showed support, stopping by and helping clean up, offering words of encouragement and thanks in person and online.
As for the next steps, they are hoping to rebuild, with lots of encouragement from their community. They have created a GoFundMe and posted it in local Facebook groups, they are also seeking supplies such as roofing materials, insulation, lumber, plywood and even paving stones. Alysia tells me the piano is in relatively good shape considering but will need someone to tune it in the near future. They can be reached on Facebook through the posts for their GoFundMe campaign if you have what they need, want to offer an encouraging word or donate to the next edition of the Square Bay Little Library.
In other local events this week, we have lots happening at Coopers Green. The Saturday Night Jam continues with all welcome to attend or join. Also, on Saturday, Amy Lang and Mary Shaw, both personal trainers, are hosting a free fitness bootcamp aimed at busy moms and women over 18 looking to improve their health and fitness. Expect a supercharged workout, pumping music, a supportive atmosphere and even a draw prize at the end. The event runs from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. with limited spots, registration required. Contact [email protected] for more info.
Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you have any upcoming events to be featured or want to connect about all things happening in Halfmoon Bay. Kyla Trethewey, columnist and Halfmoon Bay Firefighter #36.
