The Cabin · Galiano Island, BC

The Place That
Kindness Built.

An accessible retreat on Galiano Island — designed by a wheelchair user, for anyone who has ever been told that nature isn’t meant for them.

For more than 20 years, I dreamed of building a cabin.

Long before Multiple Sclerosis (MS) entered my life, I imagined a place of simplicity, a place where people could slow down, share good food and good conversation, and reconnect with nature. Cabin life represented something deeply meaningful to me: quietness, community, and the opportunity to simply be.

Life, however, had other plans. Diagnosed with MS in 2006, I become a wheelchair user 10 years later. I quietly convinced myself that my cabin dream belonged to a different version of me, one that was no longer. I assumed it was a dream I had missed my chance to pursue.

The people around me disagreed. Friends, old and new, offered their skills and encouragement. My wife believed in the vision even when I sometimes struggled with it. Over time, I realized that the dream had not disappeared, it had simply evolved. It was so much bigger than just me.

That evolution led us to an 11-acre property on Galiano Island, nestled among coastal Douglas fir and maple trees. There is interest in growing what began as a family cabin project into a wheelchair accessible retreat designed by a wheelchair user, for anyone who has ever been told that nature isn’t meant for them.

But this project isn’t really about building a cabin. It’s about building possibility.

11

acres among Douglas fir and maple

7

years into the journey, and just getting started

Dozens

of volunteers giving time, skill and kindness

What kindness has built so far

Accessibility isn’t an afterthought. It is the foundation of everything we do. Every board, shovel of gravel, and design element is based on accessibility.

My hope is that one day this property will welcome individuals and families living with mobility challenges who simply want to breathe deeply, sit around a campfire, watch their children explore the forest, and be reminded that adventure is still possible.

We are still working through the permitting process to rent the property to individuals and families who desire an accessible cabin destination. Stay tuned.