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Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Back to the OP - thank you for posting story about your trip to BC. We are in the early stages of planning ours, so I shift between being excited and being nervous about our future (even though it's very early days!). Your post has reminded me of the reasons why we hope for a change in the future.
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Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by dboy
(Post 7818520)
Issues of homelessness on the DTES are very complex. The entire area has become a ghetto due to misguided but well intended government policy. There are more SOR's (single occupancy rooms) than anywhere else, safe injections sites, detox/rehab, lookout shelter, harbour lights, native peoples groups, drug/alcohol counselling, womens shelters, police, the courts, the salvation army, and of course drug dealers, have all conspired to 'enable' many that live in the area. Mix in mental illness and deinstitutionalization and there is a perfect storm. The pivot society fights the city to keep the area has it is, citing affordable housing, but fails time and time again to be part of the solution.
I actually applaud the city's/provinces efforts, from recently purchasing some of the worst hotels, the four pillars approach etc. Billions have been poured in the area over the last 5 years. as Michael Ignatief, rightly pointed out recently the problem is a national one. To truly understand the area and its problems you have to understand the areas history, which has always been viewed as a bastion for the poorest and weakest members of society. The problems are complex and I daresay so are the solutions. |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by Simon Legree
(Post 7818536)
Well put. Not any easy situation to resolve.
I often walk the area and feel, for the most part, quite comfortable down there - although it takes some getting used to. I've felt more threatened walking around Manchester late at night. As pathetic and miserable the area is, there a genuine grittiness to it. As run down and neglected as the buildings are (something that irks me to no end), there is a beauty about the potential of them. We have a tremendous opportunity to create a real community in the area, it takes, vision, commitment and a fair bit of cash. David Duprey is a local artist/business man who has leased some of the worse buildings on hastings and is leasing them to back to artists to try and turn the area round. I feel that more postive things are starting to happen in the area than the past 17 years than i have been here. But there is much work to be done. I get quite defensive about the area since most just see the visual horror of main and hastings and wonder why nothing is being done - nothing could be further from the truth - but alas there is always more that can be done. |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by dboy
(Post 7818599)
Yes indeed. There is something brutally honest about the area in that it's so in your face, forcing us to sit up and notice the issues. These issues exist everywhere but most cities are content to hide the problems. Its ironic that the provinces efforts to fix the area's issues have actually compounded them.
I often walk the area and feel, for the most part, quite comfortable down there - although it takes some getting used to. I've felt more threatened walking around Manchester late at night. As pathetic and miserable the area is, there a genuine grittiness to it. As run down and neglected as the buildings are (something that irks me to no end), there is a beauty about the potential of them. We have a tremendous opportunity to create a real community in the area, it takes, vision, commitment and a fair bit of cash. David Duprey is a local artist/business man who has leased some of the worse buildings on hastings and is leasing them to back to artists to try and turn the area round. I feel that more postive things are starting to happen in the area than the past 17 years than i have been here. But there is much work to be done. I get quite defensive about the area since most just see the visual horror of main and hastings and wonder why nothing is being done - nothing could be further from the truth - but alas there is always more that can be done. |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by dboy
(Post 7818599)
I often walk the area and feel, for the most part, quite comfortable down there - although it takes some getting used to. |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by Alan2005
(Post 7818656)
Gentrification doesn't help anyone except property investors - poor people don't usually own property and so eventually they get moved on to somewhere else.
Do you work for the pivot society? Duprey is leasing back the space at .75 per square foot - average is 3.75. Even the new woodwards development contains 200 social housing units. The Rickshaw was also redeveloped by him and is now a cheap music venue - it was vacant for over 15 years. The Pennsylvania hotel on hastings was 'gentrified' and now has some 40 rooms of social housing. People are perhaps more inclined to care if they have a safe, clean place to live, or happen we should leave them all in the Balmoral? There is certainly the danger of displacement but its not certain, although we can't leave the area has it is and I daresay some displacement away from the dtes may not be a bad thing. I believe that social housing should be more focused throughout the LMD. http://www.bcliberals.com/news/stron...rotect_housing http://www.merrickarch.com/projects/sector/64/id/161 |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by dboy
(Post 7818688)
I believe that social housing should be more focused throughout the LMD.
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Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by jeff2679
(Post 7818177)
That was a brilliant write up. Am focusing on the positive time they had in BC, there a lots of homeless people every where and it's mainly by choice.
Thanks for sharing that with us..:thumbsup: |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by dboy
(Post 7818688)
Do you work for the pivot society?
Duprey is leasing back the space at .75 per square foot - average is 3.75. Even the new woodwards development contains 200 social housing units. The Rickshaw was also redeveloped by him and is now a cheap music venue - it was vacant for over 15 years. The Pennsylvania hotel on hastings was 'gentrified' and now has some 40 rooms of social housing. People are perhaps more inclined to care if they have a safe, clean place to live, or happen we should leave them all in the Balmoral? There is certainly the danger of displacement but its not certain, although we can't leave the area has it is and I daresay some displacement away from the dtes may not be a bad thing. I believe that social housing should be more focused throughout the LMD. http://www.bcliberals.com/news/stron...rotect_housing http://www.merrickarch.com/projects/sector/64/id/161 Also, the problem with social housing is that nobody wants it near them (including me I'll admit) - and because of this I suspect the city has been quite happy to ghettoise the dtes in recent years. |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Also, the problem with social housing is that nobody wants it near them (including me I'll admit) - and because of this I suspect the city has been quite happy to ghettoise the dtes in recent years.[/QUOTE]
Yes and there in lies the problem. Many who live here just avoid the area, and allow it come up as a curious conversation across the dinner table, 'well i never go there" "its a disgrace" "why aren't they doing more" etc. Many would be happy if we just put up a wall around the area. There are more issues at stake in this area than simply affordable housing. I think long term many of the residents of the area will benefit in a new life out of the area where many are victimized due to their, health, mental illness, drug dependency, age etc. By leaving the area the way it is we are allowing and even encouraging things to stay the same and perhaps even get worse. Bit like putting a drunk up in a bar. That is the 'enabling' nature of the place, hell i would take up crack if i had to spend my days down there! We need to get creative, not just keeping throwing money at the problems. For some it may be as simple as helping then to re-connect with family or paying for a flight home. I've actually bought people bus tickets in Burnaby out of my own pocket to help them get home - some came back, others didn't. |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by Kiwilass
(Post 7818695)
As long as it's not just in east van :frown: or the 'burbs :frown: the west side needs to take it's share.
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Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by dboy
(Post 7818904)
Yes and there in lies the problem. Many who live here just avoid the area, and allow it come up as a curious conversation across the dinner table, 'well i never go there" "its a disgrace" "why aren't they doing more" etc. Many would be happy if we just put up a wall around the area.
Also the old adage of "Out of sight out of mind" comes into play. Doesn't solve any of the underlying issues but it makes life easier and more comfortable for the masses. Not that i think the above is a good thing mind you. Solving the problem is pretty much impossible without a mass cull. |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by dboy
(Post 7818904)
...
I think long term many of the residents of the area will benefit in a new life out of the area where many are victimized due to their, health, mental illness, drug dependency, age etc. By leaving the area the way it is we are allowing and even encouraging things to stay the same and perhaps even get worse. Bit like putting a drunk up in a bar. That is the 'enabling' nature of the place, hell i would take up crack if i had to spend my days down there! ... |
Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
That was a lovely post. Thanks for sharing your experiences, sounded like you all had a great time. Just remember a holiday is just that.
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Re: back from 1st ever trip to BC......
Originally Posted by Oink
(Post 7819064)
That was a lovely post. Thanks for sharing your experiences, sounded like you all had a great time. Just remember a holiday is just that.
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