The inspiration for this project came as I walked past a free library on my way to work. I realized how meaningful it would be to have a similar Free Library in South Burnaby—an area surrounded by daycares, preschools, and elementary schools. Grace Lutheran Church felt like the perfect location, and with the Church Council’s permission, the library was placed where it would be accessible to worship communities, local families, neighbours, and anyone passing by.
The builder of the library, longtime Burnaby resident Richard Hahn, shared the vision of creating something truly unique. His hobby of constructing small houses made him the ideal person for the job. Grace Lutheran Church, built in 1952, inspired Richard to design the library as a miniature replica of the building itself.
Richard devoted great care to every detail. He began construction in mid‑summer 2025, matching the paint colours of the fascia, trim, and walls to the real church. He hand‑cut each cedar shake shingle, installed a flat roof membrane, and even recreated the church’s stained‑glass windows by using a photo of the ones on the real church. One of his biggest challenges was ensuring the structure was as rain‑tight as possible, leading him to design small drainage pipes to prevent water from pooling on the roofs.
The project was completed in May 2026, and the Little Grace Book Nook was dedicated on May 31, 2026. A team of volunteers help to keep the library stocked and tidy so that everyone feels welcome to take or share a book. We also hope to introduce a geocache in or around the library to connect with the wider community through outdoor exploration and technology—plans for this are still underway.
I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to Richard for the tremendous time, care, and craftsmanship he poured into this project. His work is exceptional. I am also deeply grateful to the Neighbourhood Small Grant program for partially funding this wonderful community initiative.
