A Vancouver community has rallied behind a beloved elderly neighbour after a shocking incident earlier this week.
Mount Pleasant resident Gisela Filion recently paid for a free tiny library to be built and placed near the corner of Quebec Street and East 10th Avenue. However, a vandal cut it down just two days after it was put up.
Nearby business The Federal Store has now helped Filion find a new home for the sky-blue library right in front of its doors.
“We are happy to announce that the Tiny Free Library has been reinstalled on the north side of the shop,” The Federal Store announced on social media. “We are so grateful to our neighbour Gisela for creating this gift to our Mount Pleasant community, and we are thrilled to be the ones to host it for her here on the boulevard strip next to our building. We are lucky to count wonderful people like Gisela and Carol as neighbours and friends.
“Thank you to everyone who reached out and shared their support for Gisela’s dream of her Tiny Library. It meant a lot to her (and to us).”
A note was left on the previously damaged free library asking The Federal Store to put it on its own property. However, the luncheonette and grocer told Daily Hive that it was not involved in its construction.
Susan Pearson/Submitted
“Gisela was told that as long as it wasn’t cemented in place, the free library was okay. Whoever did this believes that it was on their property, but it was on the boulevard, so that’s City property,” Brennan from The Federal Store told Daily Hive in an interview.
He added that Gisela had it okayed by the city and did everything the right way and in the right place.
Mount Pleasant residents and supporters of The Federal Store were elated to see Filion’s Free Tiny Library back up in the neighbourhood.
“Love this so much,” posted Tyler Greentree on Instagram. “Thank you Gisela and thank you Feds – the fabric of our neighbourhood just wove itself a little tighter and brighter.”
Other people commented that it was a “great turnaround on an unfortunate situation” and that they would be by this weekend to fill the library with books.