Live in Strathcona

Amazon Book Review

2009-12-17T19:13:00.001-08:00

This is a good book

Police Crack Down On Cyclists

2009-07-11T12:26:00.001-07:00

11/07/2009
Originally uploaded by DJ_Riel

There have been a lot more crackdowns on cyclists that are riding without helmets.

I'm of two minds about this.

On the one hand, I lost my brother in law to a head injury on a bicycle, so I know how serious an issue it is (he was actually wearing a helmet at the time, but still died)

However, it does also seem like somewhat misplaced resources on the other hand.

Lets hear what you think

http://liveinstrathcona.com/admin/forum_categories/123/forums/191/topics/576

Union Street Block Party - July 11th

2009-06-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

July 11th is the Union Street Block Party here in strathcona. This family friendly event takes place in the 600-block area of Union, and is always lots of fun on a sunny hot evening. Good food, friendly neighbours, a cold drink, and you're set! Watch out for posters around the neighbourhood for more details as the event nears, or check back to LiveInStrathcona! We'll keep you up to date as we find out more.

NINETEENTH ANNUAL HAWKS AVENUE YARD SALE

2009-06-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Any local Strathcona resident is sure to know or at least heard of the Annual Hawks Avenue Yard Sale. It's a time of year when everyone rounds up their old treasures, gently (and not so gently) loved items, and take part in a very unique community event. "It's one of the most fun events of the season," says local realtor and neighbour Rick Stonehouse. "A great way to meet your neighbours and share your excess treasures." Be sure not to miss this year, marking it's 19th Anniversary.
Sunday, June 14th, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Hawks Avenue, in Strathcona. $2 will be collected from vendors to help cover costs of advertising

A Fresh Take On Developing the Downtown Eastside

2009-04-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

While Vancouver's politicians and academics discuss solutions to the Downtown Eastside's pervasive poverty, one developer is rolling up his sleeves and getting to work.

David Duprey, with his punk tattoos and aggressive language, would look out of place in a boardroom business meeting. But in the Downtown Eastside, he seems to fit right in.

He speaks with conviction about the area, saying that Vancouver has been passive for too long, and his developments are long overdue.

"If you've got an idea, you just go out and do it. You don't sit around and talk about it for 10 years, you just do it," says Duprey.

And he is doing it. In the past two years, he has leased eight buildings across the city, five of which were vacant for more than a decade before he got them.

Duprey owns the Plank Gallery, a non-profit art space that was the first new business in over a decade to open in the 100-block of East Hastings, a block that is known for rampant drug use and extreme poverty.

He also owns the Grace Gallery at Main Street and 3rd Avenue, as well as the hidden bar, called the Narrow, in the back of Grace Gallery. It hosts DJs most nights, and is difficult to find unless someone points out exactly where it is.

Now, he's opening three more buildings: 108, 110 and 112 E. Hastings Street, buildings that have been empty for 14 years. The space inside is devoted nearly exclusively to art studios, and will provide a workspace at dirt-cheap rates to more than 40 artists. And one store-front is set to open very soon.

Saturday is the grand opening of the Goonies Gallery, an all-girls art collective at 108 E. Hastings Street that will host art shows, parties, movie nights and workshops. It will be the first for-profit business in the area in over a decade, according to Duprey.

Dirt-cheap rental rates

The Goonies pays about 75 cents per square foot every month, which is staggeringly cheap compared with monthly rates of up to $3.50 for a Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) apartment.

And with his seven-year lease, Duprey plans to keep the rents cheap, even if condos spring up around the studios within that time.

"My whole thing is to fight greed. I make money off this, I make enough, but it's not insane. Then I can turn over the rest of the money into decent rates for the people who are there," says Duprey.

But the man who made this happen is quick to shine the spotlight on his tenants. He says these artists are the driving force behind what is happening on this block.

"What I do isn't rocket science," says Duprey as he leans forward in his chair. "I rent out a building, I fix it up, then I rent it out again. C'mon! All over the world, they're doing this--except here in Vancouver."

The 40 year-old businessman was raised in Vancouver, but spent his 20s in San Francisco. He then moved to L.A., where he managed a bar before moving back up to Vancouver. After he got back, he was very surprised at the business climate in the city.

"I was shocked when I came back here by the lack of entrepreneurial spirit," says Duprey, who learned his approach in the U.S., where entrepreneurs are not as reliant on government grants or special assistance.

A fresh take on developing the Downtown Eastside

The approach may be exactly what Canada's poorest postal code needs to balance the local demographics. The artist studios will change the landscape dramatically.

"It's going to make this into a more multi-faceted neighbourhood," said Duprey. "Down here you've got only poor people, and it's boring. We should mix it up."

That is the same approach that was suggested by many speakers, who expressed their views at "The Fix," a recent UBC forum on the Downtown Eastside.

Former city councilor Jim Green has been a resident and an outspoken advocate for this area, and he says the Downtown Eastside needs more arts and culture as well as the basic essentials for living.

"These people, they're dying for culture, we can't just think of material needs, people need culture, too," he said at the forum.

Green also supports a policy that would create diverse neighbourhoods of one-third low income, one-third middle income and one-third high income earners.

This is aimed at creating mutual understanding between the groups and allows for upward mobility for the poor and increased compassion from the rich. It would also stimulate local businesses because some people would have a budget for buying products from local shops.

And Duprey agrees with this strategy.

"I think Jim Green's absolutely right. If that's what he's advocating, then he's 100-per-cent on the money," he said.

Development would also help to keep people in the area after they get a steady income.

"It would be nice if people wanted to stay once they started to get jobs. But I can totally understand; I wouldn't want to live in one of these skid-row places," said Duprey.

A simple appraoch

And he says that turning abandoned buildings into functional spaces won't make all the homeless and drug-addicted people leave.

San Francisco is a good example; in the 1990's, it had a poor neighbourhood called The Mission that aimed to recruit artists attracted by the cheap rent and gritty urban feel of the area.

The artists opened galleries and started the hippest bars around. This encouraged development--some would call it gentrification--and luxury condos were built above Single-Room Occupancy apartments, which are affordable rooms aimed at housing low-income earners.

But the luxury condos didn't push the poor people out. They just made for a more diverse, interesting neighbourhood, according to Duprey, who says that Vancouver's Downtown Eastside could be the next most exciting and artistic area in the city.

Possibly Vancouver's hippest area

"It could be the coolest area, I think it's got tons of potential, but it's just too mono-economic," Duprey says. But injecting money into the area won't push the poorer people out.

"I don't care if they build luxury hotels. The SROs are still going to be here. So those people have to live with these people, and everyone has to get along, which I think would be awesome."

Duncan McCallum agrees. He is the manager of the building at 108 E. Hastings Street.

"I think what David [Duprey]'s doing here is really great," said McCallum.

Before managing the Hastings building, McCallum took care of a building on South Main.

"There was this dumpster out back with a great piece of graffiti on it... it said 'artists are the storm troopers of gentrification,' think about that; it's totally right," said McCallum.

And the artists who have moved in are aware of this, too.

PaperBird designer gets a fresh start

Mérida Anderson is the driving force behind the Goonies gallery and says that the people she meets on the 100 block of East Hastings are excited about the new place.

"I think it's good," she says. "People walk by and stop to take a look, they tell me 'I haven't seen this place open in like, 20 years.'"

But she knows that gentrification is soon to follow.

"In 10 years there's probably just going to be big, stupid condos everywhere, and it's a bummer. But what can you do?"

Anderson has sold previous seasons' garments from her clothing label PaperBird and is investing all her time, energy and money into this new space.

Duprey is quick to say it's people like Anderson--not himself--who are the real heroes.

"She's just awesome, that whole collective is awesome," said Duprey.

In addition to the Goonies gallery, two other store-fronts will open next door: a screen printing workshop and Vancouver Skate Shop.

But with a luxury condo already planned on the block, only time will tell what the lasting impact of these ground-breaking developments will be.

Source: Jeremy Stothers, ctvbc.ca

LOCAL TV PRODUCTION COMPANY SEEKS PARTICIPANTS FOR DOCUMENTARY SERIES ON IMPROVING YOUR LIFESTYLE!!

2009-03-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

Have you, your family and your neighbours fallen into the rut of an unhealthy lifestyle? Eg’s: watching too much television, not exercising, eating too much take-out, spending countless hours in front of the computer, or not pushing beyond your comfort zone. Do you live on a street block of outgoing, fun, and open-minded people? Are you known for your block parties and community spirit?

An award-winning Vancouver-based production company seeks neighbours on a street block to participate in a new documentary series featuring a street block ready to get out of the rut of unhealthy living and challenge each other to move beyond comfort zones and improve their lifestyles.

If you think your block is ready for some lifestyle improvement, and is outgoing enough to be documented on television… we’d love to hear from you! Please write and tell us about you and your family and what area(s) you’d like to improve about your lifestyle (eg lose weight, exercise more, develop new hobbies etc). Also, please tell us about your neighbourhood as a whole and in particular, what type of “characters” live there. If there was a “community leader” who would it be?

Please include your name and phone number, as well as your street address and city. We are casting in the Greater Vancouver area. Please send email to: blockparty@forcefour.com

Recent Break-Ins

2009-03-19T10:51:00.002-07:00

One in the 700-block of East Pender and the other in the 500-block of Prior Street. In both incidents the door was kicked in. The perpetrator in the Prior Street break-in was a young, short, white male who remained calm when confronted and ran off through the next-door neighbour’s yard.
Also, many car windows smashed, many in the 400 Block of Heatley Ave. A reminder to all to keep all valuables out of your cars.

New Pho

2009-03-19T10:51:00.001-07:00

HANOI PHO

[Thanks to Deb Miller]

If you like Vietnamese food, especially Pho, you may want to give Hanoi Pho at try. They're located at 406 East Hastings Street, opposite the Patricia Hotel. Don't be put off by the full-on security bars on all the windows: inside the decor is bright and cheerful, very clean, and the food is delicious. They do take-out too.

Au Petit Chavignol: Un Petit Review

2009-03-19T10:50:00.002-07:00

AU PETIT CHAVIGNOL NOW OPEN AT 845 EAST HASTINGS

[Thanks to James Johnstone]

We just got back from an evening at Au Petit Chavignol, Les Amis du Fromage's newest outlet's (open Thursday to Monday from 5pm to 1am) just a few minutes from where we live. This place is perfect for an afterwork or late night get together in the East End. The CHEESES!!!! It felt like we were on a holiday...

Au petit Chavignol is not cheap, but it is well worth skipping a couple of cheaper places and saving up for... and if you live in Strathcona, watch out!

The Evolution Of Green

2009-03-19T10:50:00.001-07:00

SUSTAINABILITY 2.0: "The Evolution of Green"

Thursday, April 2, 2009 | 3pm-7pm

Chapel Arts, 304 Dunlevy Avenue, Vancouver BC

Building on the success of Sustainability 1.0: the Upside of Greening your Business, the Strathcona BIA is proud to present Sustainability 2.0 - the Evolution of Green. Come and learn how businesses are taking the next step beyond reducing, reusing and recycling.

Discover how you can further your sustainability goals and continue to profit by collaborating together with other businesses. Listen first hand to innovative speakers and become a part of a progressive sustainable business community, the Strathcona green zone. Pre-registration is required.

Registration: http://www.strathconabia.com/expo2
For this event, Dunlevy Street from Cordova south to the lane behind the Patricia Hotel will be closed. Sustainable vehicles will be on display!

Open Mike @ The Snail

2009-03-19T10:49:00.002-07:00

EVENING OPEN MIKE EVENT AT THE WILDER SNAIL MARCH 29

We're planning a monthly open mike kids-friendly event the last Sunday of every month at the Wilder Snail, starting March 29. We'd not only like neighbourhood attendance, but participation as well: musicians, poets, performance artists, whomever. Admission is by donation. More info at

Good Neighbour Agreement

2009-03-19T10:49:00.001-07:00

UNION GOSPEL MISSION FINALIZING GOOD NEIGHBOUR AGREEMENT MARCH 25

[Message from Leah Gregg, UGM's Community Relations Coordinator]

We are excited to be nearing the finalization of our Good Neighbour Agreement. To date, we have not received any further feedback regarding the Good Neighbour Agreement. The Strathcona Business Improvement Association is the only group that has submitted changes to the GNA in the extended review period. On January 28, we circulated the SBIA’s comments to the rest of the Community Advisory Committee members to seek additional input and feedback.

Because we have received no further responses, we are optimistic that your concerns have been satisfied. But we would like to hear from you. Do you feel you have had the opportunity to review the GNA and do you feel comfortable signing this document? If not, please send us your specific objections by 9:00 AM on Wednesday, March 25.

We hope to sign the Good Neighbour Agreement at our next CAC meeting on Wednesday, March 25 at 11:30 AM and we look forward to finishing this process with you. Please confirm your attendance by Tuesday, March 24.

Strathcona Spring Fair

2009-03-19T10:48:00.001-07:00

STRATHCONA SPRING FAIR MARCH 21

Please join us to celebrate the arrival of Spring at the Strathcona Spring Fair this Saturday.

Saturday, March 21st
1-7pm
McLean Park, Strathcona
All ages, rain or shine community event.

Live music by:
Miriam Davidson
Earle Peach & Albert Klassen
Dalannah Gail Bowen
Pancho and Sal
Michelle Dumond
Bob Cole & Ryan McBeth
Kat Gillis
Ranj Singh
Scott Cook

Community Potluck

Bake Sale (please let me know if you can donate something for the bake sale - proceeds to the community centre)

Craft Sale

Raffle (to raise funds for Strathcona Community Centre and the 2nd Annual Harvest Festival in Sept '09)

Spring craft tent for all ages, free to create, supplies provided (egg decorating, caterpillar & butterfly making, paper flowers & vases, oragami bunnies, etc)

Fibre Art Demos by The RAW Studio (felting Easter eggs, spinning wheel demos)

For more info or to volunteer some time & love, contact milisa@honeybeephotography.ca

Orchestra In The City

2009-03-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

PACIFIC BAROQUE ORCHESTRA AT ST. JAMES CHURCH MARCH 20 7:30

Bach Reconstructed

The Pacific Baroque Orchestra welcomes Alexander Weimann as guest conductor and harpsichordist in a unique program featuring world premieres of remodeled Bach and Vivaldi concertos, joined by guest artists Washington McClain (baroque oboe) and Chloe Meyers (baroque violin). http://www.pacificbaroque.com/bach.htm

Date/Venue: Friday March 20, 7:30pm – St. James Anglican Church, 303 Cordova St. (at Gore Ave.)

Tickets: FREE

The Future Of Old Vancouver

2009-03-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

THE FUTURE OF OLD VANCOUVER MARCH 19, 7:00 P.M.

Vancouver Arts and Cultures Forum
Creative Conversation: The Future of Old Vancouver
(Old Vancouver is Gastown, Chinatown, Strathcona,Hastings,Victory Square, and Japantown)

The Vancouver Museum
1100 Chestnut Street

Heritage Vancouver welcomes guest speakers Ray Spaxman, Aprodicio Laquian, and Jan Sircus to an evening of imagining a future for Vancouver's historic neighbourhoods.

Thursday, March 19, 2009
7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Registration at 7:00 pm
Conversation begins at 7:15 pm

Tickets $5:00
Heritage Vancouver Members free
RSVP

Campangolo - Vancouver East's Trendy New Spot

2009-03-04T16:14:00.000-08:00

Risky business(es): 1) Intravenous Drugs; 2) Opening a restaurant next to the Ivanhoe.

Undercover as a grossly ignored corner of Vancouver’s most troubled area, something interesting springs to life. A restaurant.

Having been raised in East Vancouver, the word “Ivanhoe” conjures up a lot of imagery pertaining to infectious diseases, stolen strip loins, shopping carts, mouthwash and system failure. But now that I’ve been to Campangolo, I can add Tagliarini Pork Ragu with Basil and Pecorino to the list. And a few perfectly roasted beets to start.

Located right next door to the Ivanhoe, Campagnolo neither fits in nor sticks out. It’s the artsy, bohemian, arguably hotter brother of the far preppier Fuel on West 4th. The atmosphere is all very five o’clock shadow and suits a moody glass of red wine (a highly suggested pairing for adventures on the outskirts of town). The dining room faces Main Street with a seperate wine-bar tucked on the alley-side. Both rooms have nice architecural features (beamed ceiling, light fixtures, brick walls) that create an overall dining experience that is really just about you, the person you’re sitting across from, and the food.

The food itself is an easy conversation on the plate. Each ingredient has its own story to tell and needs be noticed - much like the people outside on the street.

I definitely recommend you take a look.

Source: ChampagneWednesdays.com

Strathcona Survey Re: Street Prostitution

2009-02-11T14:29:00.001-08:00

Recently, Strathcona residents recieved a notice in their mailboxes.

Christine Louie, a researcher at Simon Fraser University ,is conducting an online survery of Public Opionion regarding Street Prostitiution in the Downtown Eastside. In 2006, the House of Commons Subcommittee on Solicitation Laws agreed unanimously that Canada's prostition laws need to be changed, but they could not agree on how to change them.

The purpose of the survey is to ask residents and business persons in the Downtown Eastside and Strathcona rea about their experiences, feelings and opinions about street prostitution and what they think should be done to reform prostitution law. The survey focuses on the effects of prostitution on residents and businesses, and on opinions about prostitution laws and policy alternatives.

Christine's hope is that this research will help inform policy development and law reform relation to prostitution. The survey takes between 5-20 minutes to complete, and can be found at www.DTESStrathconaSurvey.ca

Anonymity is guaranteed. Your participation would be an invaluable contribution to this study. If you have any questions or concerns about the survey, please contact Christine Louie at cglouie@sfu.ca

V-Day Music for All

2009-02-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

Vancouver Walks - Discover Your City

2009-02-09T09:52:00.001-08:00

Vancouver's history and architecture in a fascinating set of self-guided walking tours. Vancouver is best appreciated on foot, whether it's the old commercial blocks of the inner city, the centuryold cottages of Strathcona or the mansions of Shaughnessy and West Vancouver's Caulfield. A few of the walks are only a block or two long while others range over entire neighborhoods, but even the longest can be walked comfortably in a few hours on a sunny afternoon. All include maps or clear directions in a text rich with historical anecdote and short on architectural bafflegab! Now revised and updated to reflect recent changes or losses to some of the buildings and houses on Vancouver's changing architecural landscape. Also incorporated is information offered from careful readers, who share an understandable fascination with old Vancouver.

You can purchase "Vancouver Walks" by John Atkin by clicking HERE.

Home Sweet Home

2009-02-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

For some Vancouver-Whistler homeowners, the Olympic Games will be a rental windfall as visitors will be looking for a place to stay

Erika Pantages feels she and her husband, Tony, struck gold by agreeing to rent the upper floor of their Strathcona home for $13,750 during the Olympic Games next year.

Her friends aren't so sure.

"A lot of people think we're crazy because they say we could wait and get more, but why be greedy?" Pantages said. "We only get $3,500 a month when we rent it out now, so if someone is going to pay me an extra $10,000, I think that's fine."
Homeowners Erika (above) and Tony Pantages are renting out the upper floor of their East Side home during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. They will get $13,750 during the Games.

With just over a year to go before the Games, Metro Vancouver homeowners are busy chasing potential windfalls that await by renting their properties to Olympics visitors.

Check out any number of online listings services and you'll find a huge range of housing types and prices, but nothing in the bargain category. How about $750 a day for a "beautiful Vancouver basement suite" or $45,000 for a two-bedroom Yaletown condo for a month or a whopping $250,000 for a West Vancouver mansion?

"I have done a lot of research and I don't think people are going to get the prices they think they will," Pantages said. "They could get greedy and wind up not renting their suites at all."

Her 1,200-square-foot suite, which features two bedrooms, a rooftop deck, wood fireplace and office area, will be occupied by two visitors for about three weeks of a five-week period around the Games. The listings broker, Prime Strategies, uses the week before and after the visitors' stay to inspect and clean up the suite.

Pantages said she and Tony considered leaving Vancouver during the Games so they could rent out their entire house, but they didn't want to deal with the issue of removing and storing all their personal belongings.

"I also thought it would be good for us to be here so I can monitor what's going on upstairs," she said.

Prime Strategies finds Olympic rental properties mainly for corporate clients who will be in Vancouver to work, something that appeals to Pantages.

"You could try to rent it yourself on Craigslist and end up with some crazy family or something," she said. "I don't need that."

Pantages has signed a marketing agreement with Prime that calls for the broker to pay her half the rental total when it finds a renter this year and the other half by November. She's free to search for a better deal if she can find one before Prime finds a suitable renter.

Ian Hamilton, director of sports services for Prime Strategies, said there is still a strong demand for downtown Vancouver condos, and he has secured about a third of the 725 bedrooms he's looking for.

His company assigns units a gold, silver or bronze rating -- depending on their location and amenities -- and charges accordingly. Pantages' unit got a silver ranking and the rental rate they negotiated could be more than satisfactory, given the current state of the economy.

SHIFTS IN SUPPLY AND DEMAND

VIP Mountain Holidays owner Ben Thomas said his Whistler-based rental agency has noticed a definite drop in demand for Olympic rental properties.

"A year ago, there was almost no supply and tons of demand but now it's the opposite -- tons of supply and not much demand," he said.

Thomas said many corporate clients have already secured their Whistler rental accommodation needs for the Games, while the economic slowdown has forced others to cut their budgets, so they're not sure what they can afford.

He said most of the demand for Whistler rentals now comes from spectators wanting a place for three to five nights. Corporate clients usually want to stay for a longer period of time.

VIP has found more than 200 units for clients so far and has another 50 available now, but few clients are in a mood to book anything these days.

"We get 10 calls a day from owners who want to rent their properties, but we don't even take calls from owners outside the main village [because demand has slowed down]," Thomas said.

Condos in the main village have generally attracted monthly rental rates of $7,000 to $10,000 a bedroom.

Thomas has heard all the stories about certain properties fetching monthly rates of $100,000 or more, but feels most of them are exaggerated.

"As far as I know, most of those have been rumours and those prices have not been paid," he said. "In many cases, the expectations that people had have not been realized."

EMR Vacation Rentals Inc. partner Tim Bonner said his agency has at least 150 Olympics accommodation listings now and gets more every week. It costs $250 to list a property on emrvacationrentals.com, and the agency also gets a percentage of the rental price.

He said the demand for downtown Vancouver condos remains strong and most are attracting prices of about $400 a day for each bedroom. So a two-bedroom condo would fetch more than $22,000 for the month of February 2010.

But Condominium Home Owners Association executive director Tony Gioventu warned there are potential pitfalls for all parties involved in the rental of condo units during the Olympics.

"I know there will be horror stories out there, like people who think they have rented a unit and then come here only to find it has been double- or triple-booked," he said.

Gioventu advises condo owners and renters to use licensed brokers or agents to ensure the legitimacy of the transaction.

"If you try to rent it out yourself, who do you end up with?" he said. "How do you deal with someone from Europe who comes over and trashes your place and then gets on a plane and goes home?"

Gioventu said condo owners have to make sure they don't break any strata corporation bylaws when they rent their units. Many strata corporations prohibit rentals or restrict them to certain time periods and several downtown buildings won't allow occupants under the age of 55.

Condo owners can also be held responsible for any costs related to tenants who make too much noise or misuse common facilities or commit parking violations.

Gioventu expects that Games visitors who rent condos will create a huge parking problem because most condo owners will leave their cars behind.

"So we're going to have a big influx of visitors with rental cars and nowhere to park," he said.

Insurance Bureau of Canada vice-president Lindsay Olson said it's extremely important for homeowners to tell their insurance companies about a change of occupancy if they rent their homes to visitors. She said insurers will then determine if there are any issues to deal with around coverage of things like theft, damage and liability.

In some cases, insurers might want to reduce the coverage they provide or charge a higher premium to maintain the same coverage.

Olympic visitors who want to stay in a Metro Vancouver hotel room still don't have access to the few that will be made available. Vanoc has taken most of the supply, and non-Vanoc hotel rooms won't be released until early March.

Tourism officials have no control over the room rates to be charged to the public, but have encouraged hotels to provide fair market rates.

"We expect rooms will be sold at a premium, similar to the rate charged during the high season in the summer," said Tourism Vancouver representative Walt Judas. "That would be reasonable because people expect to pay more for a room during the Olympics."

At least one Vancouver accommodation provider has already committed to providing a reasonable, non-gouging rate during the Games.

The Vancouver Central Hostel on Granville Street, which normally charges $26 a night for a dormitory bed, will charge $40 during the Games. About 30 per cent of the 136 beds are already booked for the Games period.

At the Salt Lake City Games in 2002, one hostel boosted its rate from $12 a night to $200 a night.

Source: bconstantineau@vancouversun.com

Strathcona Residents Meeting - This Wednesday

2009-02-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

Hello, Strathcona friends and neighbors. I hope you'll attend this Wednesday's meeting of the Strathcona Residents Association. It will be at 7:15 p.m. at the Strathcona Community Center. We'll have two guests at this month's meeting:

Sharon Belli is the Manager of Community Engagement for the recently opened Downtown Community Court. Her job is to bring the community into the Community Court. She has been meeting with community members to inform people about the court and also to hear how community members might like to be involved with the court.

Our second guest speaker is well-known author and broadcaster Bill Richardson, who happens to be a Strathcona resident. He's going to read from his latest book and also some (as-yet-unpublished, I believe) writings about Strathcona. He couldn't have found a better subject. Bill's writing is wry and witty.

Will we see ourselves reflected in it this time?

About Au Petit Chavignol - Opening February 2009

2009-01-22T11:18:00.000-08:00

About Au Petit Chavignol - Opening February 2009

Alice and Allison Spurrell, owners of les amis du FROMAGE, along with Joe Chaput, are almost ready to open the doors to Au Petit Chavignol, a 40 seat cheese and wine bar located at 845 East Hastings Street in Vancouver's Strathcona neighbourhood, next to the newest location of les amis du FROMAGE.

The food menu consists primarily of cheese, house made terrines, freshly sliced Iberico Ham, Prosciutto San Danielle and cheese accoutrements. Unlike most wine bars, Au petit also has a full kitchen where we prepare salads, soups, fondue, raclette, tartiflette, croque monsieur and other cheese based specialties. We make everything fresh daily and in-house.

We offer several wines by the glass, ½ litre and bottle, along with bottled and draught beer. Our reserve wine list is made up of wines that vary from familiar to the obscure; to cheese friendly favourites and our favourite varietal...Riesling. Any of the reserve wines can be ordered by the glass if you commit to ordering at least two glasses.

About the Building

The heritage assessment of 845 East Hastings was put together by Donald Luxton & Associates. Along with a rich history, we learned how the front of the building would have likely looked.

We discovered that the building was originally used by the Royal Canadian Naval Reserves. There had been rumours that it had been used by the military, but up until the assessment, they were unconfirmed. It has since been the home to several companies including The Dustbane Company and most recently a restaurant named Korean Garden. The original date of construction was around 1922-23, and the original architect was Maurice Helyer.

The building is also home to the newest and largest outpost of les amis du FROMAGE, where you can expect the same selection and quality service as you would at any of our other locations.

About the Architect

Maurice was in partnership with his father J.S. Helyer, and together they ran a successful firm responsible for numerous small buildings and large commercial structures. The most famous of their designs is the Beaux-Arts skyscraper on Victory Square known as the Dominion Trust Building, 1908-10, at the time of its completion the tallest building in the British Empire. The firm also erected the Renaissance style, ten-storey Metropolitan Building on Hastings Street, 1911-12, and the poured-in-place concrete Board of Trade building at Homer and Cordova, 1909, arguable one of the earliest local uses of concrete as both a structural and finishing material. One building where he was responsible for the design was the sophisticated Medial Arts Building on Granville Street, 1922-23.

About the Designer

With the help of John Shields of Sculpinfish Design, we've taken a wonderful old building and given it a breath of fresh air and a new lease on life. The transition from old to new would not have been possible without his help.

Visit the Official Site

"A Foot In Strathcona"

2009-01-19T11:27:00.001-08:00

Here's an interesting Blog I found during I travels on the internet...
It has beautiful pictures of Chinatown's Dr. Sun Yat Sen's Gardens.
Check out A Foot In Strathcona.

Commercial Drive banners gain second life as bags

2009-01-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

In an age when showing up at the grocery store without a reusable bag is akin to showing up at a dinner party without your pants, the type of bag you carry can say a lot about you.

One bag -- it's been so popular the first two runs are almost sold out -- is allowing people to make a statement about shopping locally, shopping green, and community pride with an easy swing of two straps over the shoulder.

The highly coveted Commercial Drive banner bag is made with the bright, bold nylon of retired street banners that once decorated the shopping and dining strip in East Vancouver.

"They tend to sell out within four or five days of us receiving them," said Jen Wittich, manager of Dream Designs, one of 15 retailers selling the bags.

"People tend to really appreciate the story. They like the fact it's keeping waste out of landfills. And I find people in the Commercial Drive area tend to shop very locally. They love to shop within their own neighbourhood."

A local designer who sits on the Commercial Drive Business Improvement Association came up with the idea of turning the banners into bags, and a limited number of umbrellas, out of a frustration that the banners had nowhere to go but the landfill.

To further sweeten the concept, it was decided that all profits from the sale of the items would go to creating new green spaces in the Commercial Drive area.

It proved to be a popular idea.

The story of the banner bag was picked up by dozens of websites and translated into at least six languages. Ian McSorely, the banner designer who came up with the concept, said the City of Vancouver is planning to make bags from its Olympic banners, and there have been inquiries about the program from municipalities all over North America.

"It's had a great response," he said. To show buyers the extent of the environmental impact of the bag, McSorely also conducted an "eco-audit" on the bag. The audit showed that by using recycled fabric to make the bags, 5.3 tons of carbon dioxide emissions were kept from the skies, 192 kilograms of nylon were kept from the landfill, and enough energy was saved to provide electricity to an average Vancouver home for more than 15 months.

Nearly 500 bags were made and, so far, the profits from the project have earned more than $4,000, said Michelle Barile, executive director of the business improvement association. (Twenty-five umbrellas were made and are being sold exclusively through the association.)

Only a handful of bags are left among five of the 15 retailers who have been selling them. But a new line of small makeup bags -- made with the scraps left over from the banner bags -- will be hitting stores soon, Barile said. The makeup bags have been made by members of the SEED Employment Program at the Kettle Friendship Centre.

North Vancouver has also jumped on the bandwagon, hiring Dream Designs to manufacture bags from its banners, which Wittich said the store will be selling soon.

Barile says she has no problem with other municipalities and neighbourhoods imitating the concept.

"If what we started here is now going to cause other banners to be recycled, that would be awesome."

Source: The Vancouver Sun, aobrian@vancouversun.com

Nortel: Still On Board for 2010

2009-01-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Nortel Networks Corp., the telephone equipment maker that filed for bankruptcy protection today, reaffirmed its sponsorship for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Nortel’s pledge to supply communications equipment for the February games is worth between C$3 million ($2.4 million) and C$15 million, according to the Vancouver Organizing Committee.

“Much of Nortel’s commitments to the games have been delivered and will be in place by May,” Ward Chapin, chief information officer for the committee, said in an e-mailed statement.

Nortel is among sponsors including General Motors Corp. and Air Canada that have been hurt by the global financial crisis, spurring concern about the Olympic budget. Vancouver organizers are expected to release a revised budget on Jan. 21.

Organizers declined to comment on the value of Nortel’s sponsorship. The range of C$3 million to C$15 million is typical for official suppliers, they said in a separate e-mail.

To contact the reporter on this story: Christopher Donville in Vancouver at cjdonville@bloomberg.net.

Mark Your Calendars - Second Annual Poverty Olympics (Feb 8)

2009-01-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

This family-friendly event will include a Torch Parade (starts at 380 E. Hastings at 12:30–come and join!), mascots Creepy the Cockroach, Itchy the Bedbug, and Chewy the Rat, Opening and Closing Ceremonies, events like Skating around Poverty and the Housing Hurdles, a special appearance by Mr. Con Dough. Cockroach Cake will be served. Free. Sponsored by Raise the Rates, Carnegie Community Action Project, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, Power to Women, Streams of Justice, BC PWA, Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House. For info or to get involved call 604 729-2380.

Please feel free to distribute information about this event far and wide, and check out the Poverty Olympics website at http://povertyolympics.ca. Hope to see you there!

SUNDAY FEB. 8

12:30 Torch Parade

starts at VANDU 380 East Hastings

1pm Opening Ceremonies

at the Japanese Language School

487 Alexander Street

Family Friendly / Free Admission

Everyone Welcome!

Out Of Space - What's It All About?

2009-01-13T10:03:00.000-08:00

Putting a face to the space where art is made, the Out of Space series of events opens up opportunities for artists, stake-holders and the public to join together, bring awareness to, and offer solutions towards the shrinking number of artist studio spaces in Vancouver.

Exhibition

January 9th-25th

Opening night, January 9th, from 7pm-10pm

Out of Space is a multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring the work of 6 photographers and 30 artists. The show pairs photographs documenting artists in their studio space along with artwork created by them. The exhibition opens up the discussions around the need to secure permanent, safe and lasting solutions for studio space for the creative workers of Vancouver.

Sunday Coffee

January 11th, 18th, 25th, from 1-4pm

For 3 Sundays during the exhibition, the Chapel Arts will be open to the public extending the conversation and providing more opportunities to experience the photos and artwork. We invite you to come by and join in the discussion about the space challenges unique to artists working in Vancouver and help find positive workable solutions. In addition, some of the ECCS board members and artists will be in attendance to discuss the exhibition.

Tonight: Out Of Space

2009-01-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Eastside Culture Crawl presents

'Out of Space...'
6- Photographers, 30- Artists

Chapel Arts
Jan 9-25 - Opening Celebration Jan 9 @ 7 (cash bar)

A multi-disciplinary exhibition which pairs photographs of artists working in their studios and the artwork created by those artists. Putting a face to the space where art is made. This event opens opportunities for discussions around the need to secure permanent, safe and lasting solutions for the creative workers of Vancouver.

Also join us at the Chapel on Sundays Jan 11, 18, and 25 between 1-4 to discuss the space challenges unique to artists working in Vancouver and help find positive workable solutions.

Artists participating in 'Out of Space': Arleigh Wood, Arnt Arntzen, Bernadine Fox, Carylann Leoppky, Christopher Paul, Danaca Ackerson, Donna Cowan, Goby Catt, Heather Craig, Jessica Bell, Jessie Turner, John Steil, Jusdon Beaumont, Kalsang Dawa, Kathleen Murphy, Kathryn Youngs, Lilias Ann, Neal Nolan, Niina Chebry, Noah G, Noel Hodnett, pamela Cambaizo, patty Ampleford, Pilar Mehlis, Ralph Moscovitch, Robi Smith, Sarah Knoebber, Tony Chu, William Stock, Richard Tetrault.

Photographs of artists by Kiku Hawkes, Jeremy van Niewkerk, Ester Rausenberg, Clayton Cooper, Valerie Arntzen, Wendy D

Event Sponsors:
Malinka Financial, BOB, Vancouver Economic Development, Vancity, Franco Ferrari, Wendy D Photography, Smith Sound, Fidelis Printmaking, Grolsch Beer and Chapel Arts

Chapel Arts website

Strathcona Residents Meeting Tomorrow!

2009-01-06T15:22:00.000-08:00

The first meeting in 2009 of the Strathcona Residents Association will be held on Wednesday, January 7, at 7:15 p.m. at the Strathcona Community Centre.

If you're interested in becoming more involved in your community this is a good starting point . . . remember :

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

Agenda items will include:

-- SBIA "Green Zone" proposal to partner with the Cooperative Auto Network: The Strathcona Business Improvement Association is working towards developing Strathcona as a model community of mixed used and sustainability. How can we limit the number of cars on our roads and still get where we need to go? Can the SRA and the SBIA work together to make it happen?

-- Carnegie Community Action Project and condo owners: This newly forming group plans to include condo owners from CityGate, Gastown, Victory Square, and other "sub-areas of the Downtown Eastside." Its purpose is to advocate for social housing in the DTES for low income families, singles, seniors. Two DTES residents – Elvin Wyly, chair of the Urban Studies program at UBC, and Sandy Hirschen, ex-Dean of Architecture - are helping CCAP coordinator, Wendy Pedersen, to get the group started.

-- Princess Avenue Interpretative Walk project: You may recall that a motion regarding this item was tabled at our December meeting. I hope we will have more information on Wednesday.

TripWolf - Take a Historic Tour of Chinatown!

2009-01-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

Here's something kind of cool. It's a site called TripWolf.com

Basically it's user controlled content that allows you to virtually tour a map and look around a neighbourhood, city, even country!

With weather like this, you can travel without leaving your home!

Click to check out Vancouver's Chinatown!

JIM BYRNES AT ST. JAMES CHURCH

2009-01-05T10:55:00.001-08:00

(From Sharon Kravitz)

Friday January 16, 2009, 7:30 p.m.

St. James Anglican Church, 303 East Cordova

Benefit Concert for the Saint James Music Academy

Featuring Jim Byrnes

Jim Byrnes is an internationally recognized blues guitarist who has also had acting roles in movies and television. Jim continues to give generously of his time, in appreciation for the training and support he received as a child.

The proceeds of the concert will go to the Saint James Music Academy, an independent, non-profit organization, now in its second year of classical music training for children growing up in the Downtown Eastside. Patterned on the Royal Conservatory of Music program, the 50 students are trained in piano, cello, choir, violin, guitar, and bass with not only practical training, but theory as well. Instructors (who for the most part donate their time) are classically trained. Students come from Strathcona and Seymour elementary schools. They range in age from six to 12 and come from very diverse cultural backgrounds. Music lessons are free to families with limited resources. At a time when the DTES is undergoing rapid change, we have established a music education program which will remain accessible to children from low-income families.

We can only remain accessible with the support of our community, and the communities that surround us. Local businesses such as Fluevog Shoes donated generously towards the purchase of instruments for the school. Sunrise Market and Eclipse Awards have also given generously to the Music Academy by providing support with snacks, and making awards for the children at the end of the school year.

Please join us on the January 16th to support Saint James Music Academy, it will be a well spent 20 dollars and a good time, too! For tickets, please call Sharon at 604-251-5001.

Strathcona Residents Association - SRA (first meeting for 2009)

2009-01-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

The first meeting in 2009 of the Strathcona Residents Association will be held on Wednesday, January 7, at 7:15 p.m. at the Strathcona Community Centre.

If you're interested in becoming more involved in your community this is a good starting point . . . remember :

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

Agenda items will include:

-- Princess Avenue Interpretative Walk project: You may recall that a motion regarding this item was tabled at our December meeting. I hope we will have more information on Wednesday.

Localities limit use of New Year’s fireworks

2008-12-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

It’s illegal in most parts of county, and Vancouver will have teams out to cite offenders

New Year’s Eve revelers, beware.

The beginning of 2009 does not give you license to shoot off fireworks, at least not in Vancouver and most of Clark County.

Just in case anyone inside Vancouver still hasn’t gotten the message, enforcement teams of fire marshals and police officers will respond to complaints, patrol city streets and issue citations.

Novelty items, such as party poppers, are OK. Just don’t pull out the big stuff left over from July 4.

Wednesday’s forecast calls for a chance of showers before 6 p.m., followed by rain, primarily after 10 p.m. — not exactly great weather to be outside at the stroke of midnight.

This is the fourth year that Vancouver will enforce a ban on New Year’s Eve fireworks, which the city council approved in 2004. The change didn’t take effect until 2005 because state law requires a one-year waiting period.

Last year, the city issued five citations for New Year’s violations, a drop from the 10 citations dished out in each of the two previous years.

In Vancouver, the fine for unlawful use of consumer fireworks is $250 for first-time offenders. Second violations are $500, and subsequent violations cost $1,000.

For bottle rockets and other illegal fireworks, a first violation fine is $500, a second violation $1,000 and subsequent violations are $1,500.

Clark County voted to ban New Year’s pyrotechnics more than 10 years ago. La Center also does not allow New Year’s Eve fireworks.

In cities that haven’t specifically banned or restricted New Year’s Eve fireworks, they can be used during hours prescribed in state law: 6 p.m. Dec. 31 to 1 a.m. Jan. 1.

Washougal restricts summer fireworks to a single day, July 4, but the still allows New Year’s Eve fireworks during that seven-hour window.

Ridgefield allows a full eight-day summer season, June 28 to July 5, but the city has gone with a narrower window for New Year’s Eve fireworks, 9 p.m. Dec. 31 to 1 a.m. Jan. 1.

Vancouver is whittling back on summer fireworks. Beginning in 2009, legal fireworks can be used from June 28 to July 4, subject to curfew hours. In 2010, fireworks can be discharged on four days, July 1 to July 4.

Source: Jeffrey Mize, The Columbian

Phones for Fearless! Donate your old phones to change lives

2008-12-23T18:20:00.000-08:00

Donate your old mobile phones to help DTES artists share stories, and tap into life, jobs & family

How can you help?

Your used mobile phones - preferably with video, camera, wi-fi
Cash donations (* tax deductible) or new phone donations
Conversation - tell your friends on your blog, twitter, etc. - post a badge

Action Plan:
First, Gather phones!

Collect all the unused mobile phones at your office and home - dig into your boxes of stuff, ask you friends! Digital cameras gratefully accepted too.

Next, Arrange Pick-up:

Let us know via Twitter: Fearless City, email: info (at) fearlessmedia (dot) ca, Phone/SMS: 604.64..., Voice mail: 604.68... xt 8320
We'll come by on purple Yahoo bikes on Tues. Dec. 23rd & 30th to collect your devices
We'll take your photo, bring treats, and thank you publicly with a link

Or, Drop-off (after Tuesday, 23rd) at:

Roundhouse Community Centre - 181 Roundhouse Mews
Pathways - 390 Main Street (kitty corner from the Canegie)
Raincity Studios - 1 Alexander St. @ Water st.

Want to be a drop-off point? Let us know.

Even send by Postal Mail to:

Fearless City
c/o DTES CAN
PO Box 88023
418 Main St
Vancouver, BC V6A 4A4

Notes:

Remove your chip, and clear your contacts before donating (all phones will be completely cleared before released).
Please include chargers and accessories - used digital cameras also welcome
Unusable phones will be donated to FreeGeek for reuse and recycling

Who is Fearless?

Fearless is a Vancouver Non-Profit group providing tools, resources, and cultural outreach to artists and residents in the improverished Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. Fearless is a project of the DTES Community Arts Network (CAN)

More:

About Fearless City

Plow crews working 24/7, more snow expected

2008-12-23T18:18:00.000-08:00

Drivers in Vancouver can expect side streets and alleys to stay slick and thick with snow as plows concentrate on keeping arterials and hills clear.

Another dump of snow is expected on Christmas Eve, and the city is already nearing its snow-clearing budget of about $750,000.

“I’ve been doing this for a very long time,” said Murray Wightman, Vancouver’s manager of street operations. “At no time has city hall ever said, ‘Stop, pull back.’ We do what it takes to get it done.”

Plow crews have been running 24 hours a day, concentrating their efforts on major streets and bus routes first and steep residential streets that feed onto arterials second.

“The regular city side streets will not be treated by us … we have to draw a line here and keep the majors and bus routes free.”

But the snowy side streets are fine with some commuters, including Pascal Wehr, 30, who cross-country skied yesterday from his home in Kits to his work on Main Street.

“It’s awesome,” Wehr said. “It’s such an experience. The roads were snow covered and I figured that the easiest way of getting to work — as I do as much as possible — is self-propelled.”

Metro News

Thin Ice Not Fit to Skate

2008-12-19T13:02:00.000-08:00

During the holiday season, Vancouver's community centres, swimming pools, fitness centres and skating rinks will open on a limited or adjusted operating schedule. Patrons are encouraged to check ahead before dropping in for a swim, skate or program. Facility hours can be found on the website http://vancouver.ca/parks/cc/HolidayHours 2008.htm.

The parks board is reminding Vancouver residents that local lakes and ponds are not safe for skating and that pets should not be allowed to venture onto the ice.

"The ice may look thick but the reality is it is very dangerous," said Glenn Schultz, supervisor of beaches and outdoor pools. "Temperatures have not been cold enough for long enough to ensure the ice can support the weight of people or even dogs." Warning signs have been posted at Trout Lake, Lost Lagoon, Beaver Lake, Queen Elizabeth Park, Jericho Beach, Vanier Park and Sutcliffe Park.

The parks board administration office, at 2099 Beach Ave. will be closed from noon on Dec. 24 through Jan. 1, 2009. It will re-open Jan. 2 at 8:30 a.m.

Courtesy of The Courier

Smell like a Whopper, Just don't look like one

2008-12-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

Burger King has launched a new men's body spray called ''Flame,'' which it describes as ''the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat.''

The fast food chain is marketing the product through a Web site featuring a photo of its King character reclining fireside and naked, except for an animal fur strategically placed to not offend.

The marketing ploy is the latest in a string of virile ad campaigns by the company.

Burger King is also in the midst of its Whopper Virgins campaign that features an taste test with fast-food ''virgins'' pitting the Whopper against McDonald's Big Mac.

"Flame" can be purchased online for $3.99 USD.

New York Times

'Fire Meets Desire,' promo website

New study finds real estate market downturn helping home affordability in B.C.

2008-12-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

B.C.'s real estate market correction is improving home affordability in the province, according to a new RBC Economics study.

The proportion of pre-tax household income needed to service the costs of owning a home has fallen for all housing types in the third quarter. According to the study, owning a standard two-storey home requires 77.7% of a household's income. That's down from 80.9% in the second quarter.

Costs of owning a detached bungalow fell to 69.7% from 73%; the costs for a standard townhouse fell to 53.8% of household income from 55.8%; and the cost for owning a standard condo fell to 38.7% from 40.8% of household income.

But housing in Vancouver remains among Canada's most expensive. In the third quarter, prices are roughly double the national average for most housing types. Home ownership income requirements are still high. A minimum qualifying income of $150,000 is needed to own a two-storey home; $135,000 is required for a detached bungalow.

Given these high requirements, the study said most families in Vancouver are effectively shut out from owning a home and must instead look to the condominium market.

Source: Business In Vancouver

Bank of Canada Cuts Rate to 1.5%

2008-12-09T15:00:00.001-08:00

The Bank of Canada has reduced it's over night lending rate three-quarters of a point to 1.5%, the lowest level in half a century. Commercial banks, such as TD Bank, the first to take action, and CIBC have responded by reducing it's prime lending rate to only 3.5%.

The Bank of Canada's next scheduled date for announcing the over night rate target is January 20, 2009.

Bank of Canada
The Canadian Press

Campagnolo Italian eatery now open

2008-12-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

Campagnolo, the much anticipated casual Italian eatery from the same people that brought you Kitsilano's Fuel Restaurant is finally open.

1020 Main Street
604-484-6018
No reservations

Police dogs and bike patrol added to Skytrain station to enhance transit security

2008-12-04T14:18:00.000-08:00

Translink will be adding police dogs and more bike patrols to Skytrain stations in order to beef up visible security and ease transit rider fears.

Translink has already increased the number of Skytrain attendants as well as transit police presence at major Skytrain stations perceived to be the least safe: Broadway, Main Street, Metrotown, New West and Surrey Central.

Additionally, in a partnership with municipalities and the federal government, Translink will be making improvements to some neighborhood streets creating "Transit Villages" in areas around Broadway and Surrey Central. Improvements will include better lighting, sight lines and amenities that promote safe walking and bicycling.

For more details see Translink and Vancouver Sun.

Uniformed police officers to be redeployed at SkyTrain stations

2008-12-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

TransLink says it will address longstanding security concerns by redeploying uniformed staff and police officers at key SkyTrain stations.

The move is meant to give a more visible staffing presence at four stations that were perceived to be the most dangerous in a series of public opinion surveys and focus groups. TransLink says there will now be a round-the-clock presence at Surrey Central, New Westminster, Broadway and Main Street stations. Staff will also be hovering during the evenings at Metrotown.

“This is what I could call reassurance policy,” said Transit Police Chief Officer Ward Clapham. “[It’s] reassuring the public that they are safe.”

Transit Police have already trained 11 officers to patrol using bicycles and hope to add 10 more in 2009, with the belief being that officers on bike can cover more ground than regular officers on foot.

Other safety measures, some of which are already underway, include improving lighting at stations, opening more shops at key hubs and looking into whether using police dogs could improve safety.

Vancouver Kingsway NDP MLA Adrian Dix, a frequent critic of SkyTrain safety policy, said the move is a good step, but wondered how effective it will be without an overall increase in resources.

“If you have the same number of person hours and you’re redeploying them, some places are going to have less of a presence,” Dix said, pointing to Nanaimo and 29th Avenue stations, both stations in his riding that have seen high-profile assaults happen in the surrounding areas in recent years.

“Those are stations where you can go an entire evening without seeing any staff person or police,” he said.

The Transit Police have 154 sworn officers.

Source: 24 hours

Pivot Legal Society calls for ban on DTES private security patrol

2008-12-01T15:15:00.000-08:00

Vancouver - Pivot is calling for a ban on private security patrols in public space, and is asking the City of Vancouver to revoke public funding to Business Improvement Associations to pay for private security guards.

The organization is calling for the $1.8 million spent annually by BIAs on private security to be redirected instead into outreach and support services for homeless people.

Pivot's new report "Security before Justice" finds that the poorer you are, the more likely you are to be interrogated, harassed or experience violence at the hands of private security guards. The study, based on surveys and focus groups with over 160 residents of the Downtown Eastside, revealed that homeless people have more frequent and more problematic interactions with security guards than people who are housed.

People on income assistance or disability are also much more likely to be targeted by private security. Downtown Eastside resident Gladys Radek agrees: "They say that private security guards are here to help, but in my case they just decided that looking poor made me suspicious and as a result I was subjected to harassment."

The authors of the study are calling on the City of Vancouver to cancel funding for the Downtown Ambassador program, ban private security patrols on public property, and re-direct the approximately $1.8 million of tax dollars currently spent on private security into genuine homeless outreach services. Public funding for private security amounts to nearly $100 a month per homeless person, money that could be directed to rent supplements that help people secure affordable housing.

"I would like to see my business's tax dollars spent on a more proactive and helpful solution to homelessness than private police" says Swami Lalitananda, owner of Radha Yoga and Eatery on Main Street. "In a truly 'civil city', public money would be spent to support people to improve their lives, not to move them out of business areas."

Source: Pacific Free Press

Elderpost.com, the Craigslist for seniors

2008-12-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER — Seniors are getting their own online free ad website where they can find everything from specialized equipment to home help.

A kind of seniors-meet-Craigslist, the new site at www.elderpost.com was the brainchild of Vancouver's Peter Silin, whose company Diamond Geriatrics specializes in elder care management, counselling and consulting for the elderly, their caregivers and businesses.

"What happened is I saw so many people needing equipment they couldn't afford and if you go to nursing homes or care facilities you find lots of equipment that's no longer needed," said Silin. "I wanted a way to put together the people who wanted to sell with people who want to buy.

"The other thing I saw was people who needed caregivers and they wanted to hire somebody part-time or just by the hour. Their choice was to go through an agency or just put an ad somewhere.

"I know a lot of people who are looking for that kind of service. That was the genesis of it and it just grew from there."

The site was only launched in recent weeks and Silin said he expects it will take some time for the listings to grow as people discover the service.

"I don't have a million bucks or investors," he said. "I just wanted a site where there would be everything for care providers, for product providers and where older people themselves could find what they are looking for."

The site also lists resources such as support groups and services for seniors, their families and caregivers. It also has caregiver circles, exchanges and groups in which people can get together to share their time and talent.

Caregiver circles are groups of people who help each other out, perhaps driving someone to an appointment, visiting or other sharing and exchanging responsibilities. Caregiver exchanges are similar to circles except they are less formal and involve just two or three people.

"The idea of it is to have a very grassroots way for people to find mutual support," Silin said. "I wanted a place where maybe five, 10 people could get together and provide each other with mutual support."

So far, he said, he has no plans to make money doing it; it's an adjunct to his geriatric business.

"It's a Craigslist for eldercare and providers, with a targeted focus," he said. "At some point I'll sell some banner ads and if people want some kind of enhanced listing, there could be a fee. Aside from that, hopefully it will remain free or as low cost as I can keep it."

Silin acknowledges that with seniors often a target for scam artists, the site could attract some ill-intentioned users. He said he has added a warning about safety and users can call on elderpost review, an added service that could check out people they are considering hiring through ads on the site.

He said that could be helpful for people who are helping an elderly relative who lives a distance away.

"If somebody is looking for a caregiver or somebody is looking for work, we will charge for those reviews, so if you want somebody to interview and screen for you, we will do that for an hourly fee."

gshaw@vancouversun.com

Source: Vancouver Sun

BC Ferries reduces fares on all sailing routes, temporarily

2008-12-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

Christmas has come early for people riding B.C. Ferries.

From today until Jan. 31, ferry users will get a 33 per cent break on all sailings on all routes.

The temporary ferry-fare cut was announced in October by Premier Gordon Campbell as part of the B.C. Liberal government's efforts to protect the province's economy in the face of a global financial crisis.

The government will pay B.C. Ferries the difference between the full fare and the lower fare, Dan Wong, vice-president of corporate relations, said yesterday.

The corporation has already restored service levels on all routes -- some sailings were cut after the company experienced a significant drop in passenger traffic this fall.

"We hope to see an increase in traffic. That's obviously the intent by an offer like this," said Wong. "It's not a hard science and probably all kinds of other factors -- the price of gas, the overall economic climate, consumer confidence and mood -- will play a part. But certainly our hope is that with this kind of an offer, it will spur people to travel in the holiday season."

And there's more relief on the horizon. Fuel surcharges will be removed on minor routes Dec. 5, and on major routes on Dec. 19.

In August, B.C. Ferries imposed a 10.3 per cent surcharge on major routes.

And fares increased 17.6 per cent on 18 minor routes.

In October, B.C. Ferries announced it would cut its fuel surcharge in half by Nov. 3, to reflect dropping oil prices.

B.C. Ferries estimates at its highest, the price for a family of four travelling between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen was $91.15. With a reservation fee of $17.50, the total came to $108.65.

Today, B.C. Ferries says, that same family of four will pay $59.60. By Dec. 19, the price for a family of four will be $54.90.

B.C. Ferries is now working on a plan for February, said Wong. "The arrangement will end, but I don't know how. We're working on how to come out of the sales period. There might be a few other things we can contemplate to make the transition," he said.

The ferry-fare cut -- called the "Winter Super Sail" -- applies to all passengers and all vehicles on all sailings and all routes throughout December and January. The only exception is pre-paid paper tickets bought before today and assured loading tickets.

Reservations are recommended Dec. 26 through Dec. 28 -- the busiest days for ferry travel during the holidays.

ldickson@tc.canwest.com

Source: Vancouver Sun

Free holiday shopping trolley along new Canada Line route

2008-12-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

To give hard-hit businesses a leg-up, the Canada Line is running a free hop-on, hop-off Holiday Shopping Trolley along the construction route.

Starting this week, and on each Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 21, the trolley – adorned with holiday decorations – will pick up and drop off shoppers at seven locations along the Canada Line route.

Karen Peterson, independent project director for the business liaison program of the Canada Line project, said this lets shoppers find unique gifts while supporting local businesses.

Many of the businesses along the route have been struggling financially because construction of the line has slowed or diverted traffic.

On Nov. 12, several merchants along Cambie Street filed a lawsuit against the Canada Line asking for compensation for loss of revenue.

Giriraj Gautam, who owns a convenience store on Cambie Street, told Metro last year that his business was kept afloat because his landlord lowered his rent.

“We know it’s going to be a tough year for merchants overall and we thought we’d find a fun way to bring lots of people and come shop the Line,” Peterson said. “(And) you can avoid traffic and parking.”

The trolley starts today and runs every weekend until Dec. 21.
It runs from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
For more information, visit shoptheline.ca

source: metro

Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s completion experiences delays

2008-11-27T16:05:00.000-08:00

Theatre audiences will get their first peek at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s new Vancity Culture Lab studio theatre when Blackbird Theatre brings its production of Pinter’s Briefs to the venue December 3 to 6. But the official unveiling of the renovated venue is still months away.

Crews are putting the finishing touches this week on the three-storey addition to the site, which houses the new studio theatre, washrooms, and administrative offices. But work on the original theatre, to be renamed the historic theatre, continues.

The 99-year-old venue has been under renovation since August 2007, and executive director Heather Redfern admitted the completion date of the project has been slipping.

“I’m not going to give a completion date because it seems to be a moving target,” she said. “It seems like every time they tell us it’s going to be ready for this time, something happens and they say no, it’s going to be a month later. I’m not even going to guess. We are crossing our fingers and hoping that we’ll be able to do our shows in May in there, but we just don’t know.”

A number of shows scheduled to run in the historic theatre in the new year have been moved. Ronnie Burkett’s Billy Twinkle, Requiem for a Golden Boy and the French Theatre of the National Arts Centre collaboration with Théâtre de la Vieille 17 and Théâtre de Sable Maïta will be at the Waterfront Theatre in January and February; Montréal Danse will perform at the Michael J. Fox Theatre in March; and the Theatre Conspiracy/Rumble Productions coproduction Blackbird will now have an extra-long run in the much smaller Vancity Culture Lab in March.

“We are all over town,” said Redfern, who insisted the Cultch’s finances are secure, despite the added cost of hall rentals.

“We do have a contingency for the project and so this is part of that,” she said. “Our operating budget is horrible because we have no revenue from rental or anything, but we knew that was going to happen and we were able to plan for that.”

Source: Straight

Fundraiser: 3rd Annual AIDS Benedict Brunch this weekend!

2008-11-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

Vancouver’s 3rd Annual AIDS Benedict brunch weekend is happening this weekend, November 29th and 30th.

"YouthCO AIDS Society and Camp Moomba, two non-profit organizations that support and empower children and youth impacted by HIV and AIDS, have teamed up for Vancouver’s 3rd Annual AIDS Benedict brunch weekend. Collectively sponsored by local restaurants, this “eggsellent” event blends scrumptious eggs benedict with public education to help raise awareness about children and youth in BC impacted by HIV and AIDS.

Donations from participating restaurants will give children and youth impacted by HIV and AIDS access to year-long programs and supports that they might not otherwise have access to. Participation in the two-day eggs-travaganza is eggstremely simple: fill your belly with eggs benedict or other promotional items at one (or more!) of the participating establishments on November 29th and November 30th."

Participating restaurants in the area include the following:

Alibi Room 157 Alexander Street www.alibi.ca
Chopper’s 3298 East 1st Avenue no website
Main Cafe 4210 Main Street www.themainonmain.com
Seb’s Market cafe 592 East Broadway www.hotstuffcatering.com
Slickity Jim’s 2513 Main Street www.findmycraving.com/icrave/slickity
WaaZuBee 1622 Commercial Drive www.waazubee.com/main.php
The Whip 209 East 6th Avenue www.thewhiprestaurant.com

For the full restaurant list (thanks Raul), please visit Rauls' blog @ Hummingbird604.com

Rally this Friday at Havana's

2008-11-26T16:30:00.001-08:00

I may already have sent you a notice about this... A friend of a friend though sent me this link to a documentary on the Westboro Church and their message of hate on Youtube. Please watch it. It will give you a very clear idea just what sort of hateful verbal assault is waiting for the theatre goers...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7735501683185935638

On the surface, they seem so wacky and outrageous that they can't be dangerous... The truth is that these people have influence and express the unspoken opinions of a significant swath of America's and even Canada's Evangelical Christian society.

When I first sent out this message I mostly addressed it to friends and contacts in the LGBT community, but i now think it is important to send this out to all our friends and allies...

I am not sure just type of response is best... They are here to get attention and obviously they have already been successful in that. Part of me is thinking that a huge crowd of silent, non-reactive people is the best counter demonstration that we could possibly give back... That if we descend to their level, that we won't accomplish much... My dream would be that we could get such a large crowd out around the theatre that we would be able to keep the Westboro wackos and their anti-gay rants far enough away from the theatre that the people going to see the Laramie Project would be able to see the play in peace. We are not going to change the Westboro people's minds. Their mindset goes beyond fossilization... but if we accomplished that one thing they would have failed to disrupt the play and stopped its important message.

The neat thing is that the show is going on in the heart of Commercial Drive, perhaps Vancouver's most progressive, politically aware and gay supportive neighbourhood... I am confident that we can get a good crowd out there... I am just hoping that our response is articulate and focussed as well as massive and unequivocal.

James Johnstone
703 Hawks Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6A 3J2
CANADA 604-254-4666
www.homehistoryresearch.com

Original message below.

Subject: westboro baptist church rally

Hey everybody
You may have heard that an anti-gay group from Kansas is coming to Vancouver next week to protest the performance of "The Laramie Project" at Havana Theatre (Commercial Drive). I am attending an anti-hate rally that is planned to start on Friday, November 28th at 5pm at Havana's... We have to stand up to these lunatics who show up inappropriately at funerals and other events, carrying signs that read "God Hates Fags". It would be awesome if we all showed up to support our gay and lesbian friends and family. Thanks!

I'm attaching a link to a CBC news article about this :
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/11/19/bc-westboro-church-protest-vancouver-laramie-project.html?ref=rss

I am passing this on - please do likewise!

James Johnstone
703 Hawks Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6A 3J2
CANADA 604-254-4666
www.homehistoryresearch.com

Strathcona Halloween Haunted House 2008

2008-11-22T07:08:00.001-08:00

Strathcona Halloween Haunted House 2008
Originally uploaded by DJ_Riel

A ceremonial head on the post out side of strathcona's more festive homes at halloween.

Bell Wireless slows customer internet speeds on purpose

2008-11-20T12:15:00.001-08:00

The CRTC has ruled that Bell Canada Inc. is not breaking the law by purposefully slowing internet speeds and will be allowed to continue to do so.

Bell, Canada's largest internet service provider, has two million high-speed customers in addition to smaller companies that rent portions of Bell's network and resells them. “Based on the evidence before us, we found that the measures employed by Bell Canada to manage its network were not discriminatory," said CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein in a release. "Bell Canada applied the same traffic-shaping practices to wholesale customers as it did to its own retail customers.”

The regulator's investigation, which began in May, was limited to Bell's wholesale practice and did not consider whether internet throttling should be allowed in general.

As such, the CRTC also announced it was opening a new probe into the larger issue of throttling, which is also done by other large internet service providers such as Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Inc. Interested parties will have until Feb. 16 to submit their thoughts and a public hearing will be held on July 6 in Gatineau, Que.

"The broader issue of internet traffic management raises a number of questions that affect both end-users and service providers,” von Finckenstein said. “We have decided to hold a separate proceeding to consider both wholesale and retail issues. Its main purpose will be to address the extent to which internet service providers can manage the traffic on their networks in accordance with the Telecommunications Act.”

Bell and the others say they need to throttle customers who use peer-to-peer applications such as BitTorrent because they are causing congestion on their networks.

For the full story, go to CBC article

Do-Not-Call scam circulating through email

2008-11-20T12:12:00.001-08:00

Cellphone providers are warning against a scam circulating via e-mail regarding the CRTC's recently implemented do-not-call telemarketing list.

The e-mail warns recipients that cellphone providers are releasing their customers' numbers to telemarketers, so they should expect calls that will inevitably waste their airtime. Recipients are urged to call one of two phone numbers purportedly attached to the national do-not-call list, which the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission launched on Sept. 30, in order to block such unwanted calls.

"All cellphone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls," the e-mail says. "You will be charged for these calls."

The e-mail suggests the release of number databases has been confirmed by Telus Corp. and urges recipients to pass the message on to their friends.

Telus, however, issued an advisory on Tuesday evening warning that the e-mail was "fraudulent and dangerous" and urged customers not to respond to it or forward it.

Spokesman Shawn Hall said the company has no intention of releasing wireless numbers to telemarketers.

"We have no plans to do that ever," he said.

Telus is working on determining the source of the e-mail. Marc Choma, spokesman for the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, said a similar scam was run a few years ago in the United States when the country rolled out its own do-not-call list.

One of the numbers in the e-mail is in fact the CRTC's do-not-call contact number, but the other has been linked to telemarketing scams going back a number of years, Hall said.

The do-not-call list allows Canadians to add their phone numbers — both landline and wireless — to a database that is circulated to telemarketers. A telemarketer that calls a number on the list is liable for a fine up to $15,000.

While the CRTC requires landline providers to list customers' numbers in the phone book, it is illegal for wireless companies to release cellphone numbers without their subscribers' express consent.

Telus has polled customers as to whether they would want their wireless numbers published in the phone book but found the majority believed their contact information to be private.

"It came back rather resoundingly that people did not want their cellphones listed in the phone book, and we respect that," Hall said.

Source: CBC

Top Ten Architects Upgrade Gingerbread House for Charity

2008-11-18T14:06:00.001-08:00

Creative Room in collaboration with a very cool lifestyle store, Vancouver Special are pleased to announce the first annual Gingerbread Competition and Charity Auction!

Hidden behind a thin veneer of jujubes and smarties, the ubiquitous form of the gingerbread house has stood unchallenged for too long! The malignant plague of cookie-cutter housing, which fouls suburbia cannot be invited into our homes this holiday season. No longer representative of our modern lives, held in place by no more than icing and a repressing layer of nostalgia, the conventional gingerbread house must make way for the gingerbread house of today!

As a Holiday Season homage to the mid-century Art+Architecture Magazine’s Case Study House Program, Creative Room and Vancouver Special are challenging ten of Vancouver’s best architects and designers to rethink the gingerbread house in a form more fitting for our modern life: to reinterpret the gingerbread house within a modern context. The gingerbread house reinventions are to be judged by a celebrity panel based on the following criteria: originality, material expression, edible content, craftsmanship, consideration of landscape, use of lighting, and of course, whimsey. Entries will be auctioned off such that they may grace the living rooms of a select few Vancouver homes this holiday season. All proceeds from this event will be donated to Pivot Legal Society.

Auction runs until November 25th.

Tix & More Info

Source: Eat Communications

Vancouver play a walk on the wild side

2008-11-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

Paul Decarie has lived in the rough Downtown Eastside for 15 years, but it wasn't until he heard the music and listened to the lyrics that he understood how his neighbourhood became more than a collection of streets and alleys.

"We live there and we know it is our home and where our friends and family live," said Decarie, 51, who attended the play's recent preview. "We all have our own histories of how we got there, but I don't think many of us knew about the history of the Downtown Eastside."

The story of Vancouver's six-block Downtown Eastside – Canada's poorest postal code, where many residents struggle with addictions and some turn to prostitution – has been put into musical form.

Bruce – The Musical depicts in song and dance the life of resident Bruce Eriksen, who died in 1997 at the age of 67 from liver cancer.

"You only need to say the name Bruce and everyone knows who that is," said Decarie. "He was more important than the mayor or any premier. Still is."

The play, which runs until tomorrow, depicts Eriksen's life in the early 1970s, from his days as an alcoholic and artist living in the area. Eriksen's turning point came after a police officer picked him up off the street and forced him to dry out.

A sober Eriksen returned to the neighbourhood and began organizing for better housing and for the shutting down of pubs that oversold liquor.

Another young activist, Libby Davies, now New Democrat MP for Vancouver East, helped him gather petitions, and the two fell in love.

Davies said she had known that a play was being written about Eriksen which depicted the beginning of their life together.

When the play evolved as a musical, she admitted she had a bit of hesitation. When she saw the production last week, she said the music, which includes songs written by Bill Sample and lyrics by playwright Bob Sarti and the work of composer Earle Peach, helped the story of her life come alive in a different way.

"It's a heavy story. People die. These were real life-and-death struggles with slum buildings and fires, and to see people dancing and singing, it really helped bring the stories out," she said.

The slow struggle to transform the area into a neighbourhood with its own community centre was spearheaded by Eriksen and other activists who became involved in local politics. Both Eriksen and Davies sat on city council in the early '80s and she once ran for mayor.

On the opening night of the musical, Davies said she was touched by the response from the audience, many of whom remember her former partner as an overwhelming force in the Downtown Eastside.

"Every day, I still have people come up to me and tell me about how Bruce changed their lives. That means something to know he still has such an influence," she said.

Playwright Sarti, who first met Eriksen in 1973 when, as a Vancouver Sun reporter, he was sent to cover the activist's work, said people dismiss the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood too quickly.

"They don't realize what it took for someone like Bruce to turn it from Skid Row into the Downtown Eastside and make it into a community," said Sarti. "He's the single most important person to have emerged from there and it took a conscious effort to make this a community."

Source: Petti Fong / thestar.com

Minister not welcome: MP

2008-11-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

MP Libby Davies has joined the fight to keep an American church group, which plans to protest a Vancouver play about a murdered gay man, from crossing the border.

“Hatred, bigotry and harassment are not welcome in our communities,” Davies said of the “viciously homophobic hate group.”

The Westboro Baptist Church, which is led by anti-gay minister Fred Phelps, announced on its website plans to protest The Laramie Project at Havana Theatre on Commercial Drive Nov. 28.

“This would constitute a premeditated violation of section 319 of the Canadian Criminal Code, which states it’s an offence to willfully promote hatred against any identifiable group,” Davies said.

“On previous occasions, the government has alerted Canada Border Services Agency of the group’s plans, and instructed CBSA personnel to ensure Canadian law is upheld,” she added.
“We are sending a letter to the current Minister of Public Safety urging him to follow this well-established precedent.”

Source: KRISTEN THOMPSON/METRO VANCOUVER

Aaron Webster Community Forums - Stop the Violence!

2008-11-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

The Centre in partnership with the Vancouver Police Department

invites you to a series of forums on violence against & within LGBT communities

Learn about police responses to hate crimes & relationship violence

Tell us about what is going on & what we can do together

to stop the violence & increse safety

Public Forums - all welcome

West End Public Forum: Monday, November 17, 7-9:30pm

Gordon Neighbourhood House, 1019 broughton Street

East Van Public Forum: Tuesday, December 2, 7-9:30pm

North Community Health Centre, 200 - 1651 Commercial Dr

Community Forums

Youth Community Forum: Friday, November 21, 7:30 - 10:00

Coal Harbour Community Centre, 480 Broughton St

TwoSpirit/Queers of Colour Community Forum: Monday, November 24, 7-9:30pm

Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, 800 East Broadway

Trans Community Forum, Tuesday November 25, 7-9:30pm

North Community Health Centre, 200 - 1651 Commercial Dr

Information: call The Centre 604 684-5307

email: stoptheviolence@lgtbcentrevancouver.com

Supporters: Little Sisters Bookstore, Safe Choices, West Enders Against Violence

We gratefully acknowledge funding from Safe Streets & Safe Schools,

Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General

4 Low Rent Artist Studios Up For Grabs by Nov. 21

2008-11-17T10:55:00.001-08:00

In 1996, the City of Vancouver created its first live/work Studio Award. This studio, provided free of rent, recognized distinguished artists like Teresa Marshall, Steven Shearer, Myfanwy MacLeod and Kevin Schmidt and enabled them to explore their creative practice.

In 1999, a second studio was added (made available at below market rents) and this year, two additional studios have been made available.

These four studios will be leased to Vancouver-based, low-income professional artists for a 3 year term beginning February 1, 2009.

The city will accept applications until Nov. 21.

"It's a small but important gesture," said Jacquie Gijssen, senior cultural planner with the city. "We can actually help with the tool kit that we have without people arguing about how much money it costs or doesn't cost."

The city has secured live/work spaces for artists through community amenity contributions that developers make when the city allows them increased building density or relaxed zoning. It owns two of the spaces and leases the other two for $1 a year. They're all in artist live/work buildings with two near Cambie, one near Main and the largest on East Pender near Knight Street. The Artist Studio Award Program was initiated by the city in 1996, and the Contemporary Art Gallery picks the jurors and coordinates the selections.

Professional artists in any discipline can apply for the award. The winners will be announced mid-December and can move in Feb. 1.

The jury of local arts and culture professionals seeks artists who are serious professionals, not hobbyists, Gijssen said. Although most, if not all, of those selected in the past have been emerging artists, senior artists can also apply.

Applicants must show financial need. Three of the four spaces are studios and one is a one bedroom. To qualify to win a studio, artists much prove they earn $29,000 or less per year, and to win the one bedroom, they must earn $32,500 or less.

The first place winner is awarded a free studio apartment for three years and the other recipients will pay $375 a month.

Sculpture artist, Rhonda Weppler, paid $325 a month for her 450-square-foot studio at Cambie and West Eighth Avenue for the past three years. The artist live/work building also includes a workshop. Previously, she rented small studios on the East Side.

"A lot of studios in Vancouver are in bad areas because it's cheap rent," Weppler said. "It was nice to be in a place that you could walk downtown and I wasn't scared to be alone at night or walking home at night."

When her tenancy expires and the end of this year, Weppler expects to move to an artist's space in Railtown Studios or in The ARC on Powell Street at the foot of Commercial Drive.

"Even though it's in a bad area it's around $1,000 a month for rent," she said.

Myfanwy MacLeod, who won a space in 2002, recently won a juried international competition held by the city to create the first Olympic and Paralympic legacy art commission for the main plaza in the Olympic Village in Southeast False Creek.

More info at the Office of Cultural Affairs Awards

Vancouver Courier

Hope In Shadows 2009 Calendar

2008-11-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

It’s easy to write and write and write and talk and talk and talk about all the awesome things we COULD be doing to help our brothers and sisters in needs. It’s another thing to actually engage in contributing our time and/or money. Thus, I would like to encourage every one of my readers to purchase a “Hope in Shadows” 2009 Calendar. Consider giving a copy out as a Christmas gift, or a birthday gift.

The Hope in Shadows Calendar is a unique project based around a photography contest for residents in the Downtown East Side of Vancouver. The prize-winning photos are then used to create a calendar that provides a glimpse of the hope, spirit and courage of people living in one of Canada’s poorest neighborhoods. [Paraphrased from their website]

While the calendar is also sold in retailer stores across the Lower Mainland, I personally would prefer it if you bought your calendar from Street Vendors. You’ll see, these people are also residents from the DTES and engage in selling the calendar to make money for their subsistence.

From their website:

The Hope in Shadows calendar is sold by street vendors, community groups and retailers. Trained official street vendors will have a blue and white ID licence with their name and photo on it with the Hope in Shadows logo and “08/09″ next to the logo. The Soliciting for Charity licence number from the City of Vancouver will be displayed on the licence.

The best places to find a street seller include:
- Commercial Drive, especially outside the Skytrain station
- West Broadway & Granville
- Howe & Robson
- Capers on 4th Avenue & Vine
- outside any Choices supermarket
- Shoppers Drugmart on West Broadway

Please consider purchasing a Hope in Shadows 2009 Calendar and contribute to improving the livelihood of the residents of the DTES. Thank you.

Courtesy of HummingBird604

Craft Season Is Upon Us!

2008-11-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again!

If you're looking to buy local and handmade this Christmas, here are some holiday craft shows in Vancouver to check out...

One of a Kind
Thursday, November 20th to Sunday, November 23rd
BC Place Stadium
Thursday and Friday 10am to 9pm, Saturday 10am to 9pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm
Admission $8 online or $10 at the door

Emily Carr Student Art Sale
Friday, November 21st, 1pm to 8pm
Saturday, November 22nd, 10am to 6pm
Concourse Gallery, North Building, Emily Carr University, Granville Island
Admission Free

Maternal Creations Art Show and Craft Fair
Friday, November 21st, 4pm to 8pm and Saturday, November 22nd, Noon to 5pm
Pomegranate Community Midwives, 2647 East Hastings St. (between Slocan and Penticton)

Fab Fair
Saturday, November 22nd and Sunday, November 23rd
Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street

Vancouver Etsy Sellers Craft Fair
Sunday, November 23rd
Cambrian Hall, East 17th Ave, just east of Main

Urban Artisans Craft Fair
Saturday, November 29th and Sunday, November 30th, 10 am to 5pm

I Heart Crafts Winter Bazaar
Sunday, November 30th, 11 am to 6 pm
Ukrainian Cultural Center, 805 East Pender St.
Admission $2

Portobello West
Sunday, November 30th
Rocky Mountaineer Station, 1755 Cottrell Street (near Home Depot)
Admission $2

Toque
Friday, December 5th, 6pm to 9pm, and Saturday, December 6th, 11am to 5pm
Western Front, 303 East 8th Avenue

Shiny Fuzzy Muddy
Friday, December 5th, 5pm to 9pm, Saturday, December 6th, 11am to 5pm, and Sunday, December 7th, Noon to 5pm
VIVO (Video In Studios), 1965 Main street (at 3rd Avenue)

Heritage Hall Christmas Craft Fair
Saturday, December 6th and Sunday, December 7th, 11 am to 5 pm
Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street
Admission $2

Green Christmas Holiday Gift Market
Sunday, December 7th, 11am to 6pm
Cambrian Hall, East 17th Ave, just east of Main

Got Craft?
Sunday, December 7th
Royal Canadian Legion, 2205 Commercial Drive (at East 6th Avenue)
Admission $2

Portobello West Holiday Market
Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th
Rocky Mountaineer Station, 1755 Cottrell Street (near Home Depot)
Admission $2

Blim Winter Market
Saturday, December 20th, Noon to 5pm
Cambrian Hall, East 17th Ave, just east of Main

Courtesy of Magpie & Cake

Vancouver Park Board Sued Over In-Camera Decision

2008-11-14T10:17:00.000-08:00

The second-last Vancouver park board meeting before the municipal election featured an in-camera session in which commissioners voted to re-classify 15 union positions at Vancouver community centres as higher-salaried management jobs. The Oct. 6 decision, according to CUPE 15, violates sections 492 and 493 of the Vancouver Charter.

CUPE 15 has now filed a B.C. Supreme Court challenge to the deal, which CUPE 15 president Paul Faoro said is the only way to gain transparency on an issue that he thinks should have been more open at the outset.

"These in-camera meetings are becoming the flavour of the year," he quipped. "Section 492 and 493 of the Charter effectively says, the park board can spend money, but it can only spend money that city council has approved and funded. Section 493 says the park board can't spend more than the city council has funded."

According to Faoro, the cost of the newly-created managerial positions could be as high as $300,000, putting taxpayers on the hook.

"We have them not yet telling the public about the impact. We have filed an FOI request asking for the in-camera minutes. We've had no response from the park board," he said.

"The NPA park board control made this a political issue. This is the kind of stuff where we think proper debate, respectful discussion would be helpful. But unfortunately, the last three years, it's been absolutely hopeless."

The Oct. 6 in-camera session contained a decision to "kick out or exempt" 15 CUPE members who work as community recreation coordinators, according to Faoro.

The 15 affected members worked at community centres across the city, including False Creek, Dunbar, Kitsilano, Sunset, Marpole-Oakrdige, Douglas, West Point Grey, Hastings, Thunderbird, Renfrew, Trout Lake, Mount Pleasant, Champlain Heights, Kensington, and Strathcona. Following the in-camera park board meeting, the coordinator positions were re-classified as new community recreation supervisor positions, and employees were required to decide whether to accept the new position by Nov. 4. Their new, re-classified positions will be effective Nov. 24.

"A decision like this is taking 15 of our positions out of our union, effecting long-term service employees," Faoro said. "We're taking this very seriously."

Source: Jackie Wong, for the Westender.

MUNCH 13: The Local Creative Economy

2008-11-13T14:10:00.001-08:00

City Council candidates in the upcoming civic election will discuss their
election platforms in relation to economic and cultural development in the
Downtown Eastside. Speeches by the candidates will be followed by an open
discussion.

Thursday, November 13, 2008
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Interurban
1 East Hastings Street

Confirmed candidates, in no particular order, are:
Ellen Woodsworth (Cope)
Michael Geller (NPA)
Heather Deal (Vision)
Timothy Wisdom (Work Less Party)
Leon Kaplan (Independent)

MUNCH is a regular series of critical discussions on cultural planning and
arts issues affecting the creative people living and working in the
Downtown Eastside.

Food and refreshments provided.

Free.

EASTSIDE CULTURE CRAWL 2008

2008-11-13T12:23:00.000-08:00

This is a once a year opportunity to meet many diversely talented artists and view their creations in the studios where they work. Be part of this exciting event, which brings people from all over the Lower Mainland, and share in the imaginations that enrich our neighbourhood and lives. get more details...

	painters			potters
	illustrators			writers
	jewellers			printmakers
	furniture makers			photographers
	musicians			glassblowers
	weavers			sculptors

From emerging artists to those of international fame... these are just a sampling of the exciting talents featured during this unique chance to meet local artists in their studios. details...

Purchase something that strikes your fancy, commission something to be uniquely yours, or just browse through the studios and meet the artists, learning about their specific works of art, materials and tools, approaches and techniques. details...

Download a printable map here

FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
November 21st	November 22nd	November 23rd
5:00pm - 10:00pm	11:00am - 6:00pm	11:00am - 6:00pm

It's Western Canada's largest studio exhibition and sale, and it's absolutely free-- don't miss it!

www.eastsideculturecrawl.com

Vancouver Archives Fundraising Event; Celebrate BC's First 150 Years

2008-11-13T10:42:00.001-08:00

Come out and support this very important fund raising event for the Friends of the City of Vancouver Archives. This is a five hour history symposium on BC's first 150 years by three renowned BC historians and includes a catered lunch.

Cost is $50, and a $25 receipt may be issued for tax purposes.

Three speakers are scheduled to attend:

Sylvia Van Kirk will talk about 1858
Terry Eastwood will talk about 1908, and
Robert A. J. Macdonald will talk about 1958

Catering is by Sherilee Dee Catering Ltd., and that means Yummy!

For more information contact James Johnstone - househistorian@yahoo.ca

American anti-gay, hate-mongers plan to cross border to protest Laramie Project play at Havana Theater

2008-11-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

The Laramie Project, a play by Fighting Chance Productions, is being threatened with protests and picketing from an extreme baptist church in Topeka, Kansas. The Laramie Project is a play about the brutal attack and murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay American university student, who was left for dead tied to a fence outside Laramie ten years ago.

According to the Vancouver Sun, the production company who will be presenting the play at the Havana Theater, has already contacted the federal government asking for help in preventing this cross border protest by the anti-gay, hate-mongering Westboro Baptist Church. Vancouver police spokesperson Const. Tim Fanning said steps would be taken by the police should the group be allowed into the country and that the Canada Border Services Agency was looking into the issue. The planned protest is scheduled for Friday, November 28 from 7 PM - 8 PM.

Fighting Chance Production's The Laramie Project runs November 26 to December 6, Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Saturday afternoon at 2 PM.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for students and seniors with 2-for-1 shows on Tuesdays. The Laramie Project will show at the Havana Theatre at 1212 Commercial Drive.

This production will feature original material from the Tectonic Theatre Project blog and all-new music created by the cast.

The Laramie Project is directed by Ryan Mooney and Stage Managed by Tamara Harvey. Featuring Matthew Clarke, Christopher Cook, Ira Cooper, Sherry Lynn Friesen, Anna Hassard, Matthew MacCaull, Jeff McMahan, Jean Nicolai, Alicia Olive, Keri Smith, Spencer Snashall, and Nadia Von Hahn.

Laramie Project info.

First Canadian exhibition of Kai Althoff's work at the Vancouver Art Gallery

2008-11-10T15:04:00.001-08:00

The Vancouver Art Gallery will present the first Canadian exhibition of German artist Kai Althoff from November 8, 2008 until February 15, 2009.

Althoff is a multimedia artist, however he has received most of his recognition from his work as a painter. Approximately 30 paintings and drawings from the early 1990s to the present and works drawn from noted exhibitions/installations will complete the Gallery’s presentation. This selection of work underscores Althoff’s fluid stylistic approach and masterful way of presenting life’s complex yet fundamental extremes with exquisite intimacy and insight. In its entirety, the exhibition abandons the straightforward survey in favor of a more complex juxtaposition of components, whose subtle connections will be revealed throughout the visitor’s personal experience of the space.

Kai Althoff was born in 1966 in Cologne, Germany and continues to reside there. Althoff travels extensively for his individual and collaborative endeavors, exhibiting his work both nationally and internationally. His artistic output encompasses a vast spectrum of media, including works on paper, painting, photography, music, videos, text, performances and installations. He co-founded the German band Workshop, whose joint efforts figured largely in Althoff’s early artistic practice, and whose namesake—a place that advocates for the creative production of both the individual and the group—continues to play a recurring theme in his work.

Vancouver Art Gallery: Kai Althoff exhibition page

Advanced Voting Polls Now Open

2008-11-05T14:59:00.001-08:00

Vancouver Votes November 15

Vote in advance November 5, 8, 10 and 12

Vote in advance from 8 am to 8 pm on November 5, 8, 10 and 12 at:

City Hall
Dunbar Community Centre
Sunset Community Centre
Trout Lake Community Centre
Westend Community Centre

Visit the Elections website for more information: candidate profiles, voting details and borrowing questions for the 2009 - 2011 Capital Plan.

For more info on the civic election and the capital plan:
civic election

'Abbott & Cordova' on exhibit in NYC

2008-11-05T13:41:00.001-08:00

Vancouver artist, Stan Douglas, will be exhibiting Humor, Irony and the Law at the David Zwirner Gallery in New York City from October 30 - December 23, 2008.

The installation, comprising of video and digital print, depicts moments in time in Vancouver history. One of which, "Abbott & Cordova" highlights a tense scene between hippies and Vancouver police before the now infamous Gastown riot. The final work is composed of fifty different shots taken with the camera in the exact same position.

Gastown Riot history
Archived CBC video

"Powell Street Grounds" depicts a 1912 Industrial Workers of the World Free Speech Demonstration held in the Downtown Eastside just as the crowd is being broken up by the police.
This image is composed of twenty different shots taken with the camera in the exact same position.

Humor, Irony and the Law also includes, "Ballantyne Pier, 18 June 1935," "Hastings Park, 16 July 1955," "Vidéo," and "Les Grands Moulins de Pantin."

12th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Nov 6 - 9

2008-11-04T15:20:00.001-08:00

Today is your last day to get Early Bird VIP passes for the 12th Annual Vancouver Asian American Film Festival!

Opening night starts Thursday, November 6th and the festival closes on Sunday, November 9th. Closing festivities include a Wrap Party and and Encore Presentations of West 32nd and Permute.

Click here for Program.

Click here to buy your VAFF VIP Pass

More information

Great Beginnings first round project initiative announced

2008-11-04T14:31:00.000-08:00

On Monday, November 3rd, Mayor Sam Sullivan and Councillor Elizabeth Ball announced the first round of projects under Premier Gordon Campbell's 'Great Beginnings' $10 million initiative for the province.

According to Mayor Sullivan, the City of Vancouver will allocate its funds to help revitalize Vancouver's four most historic neighborhoods: Gastown, Japantown, Chinatown and Strathcona to mark the province's 150th birthday celebrations.

The city will concentrate on making improvements to public and private property, arts and culture, community living and civic pride. The budget for the first round of projects is over $1.5 million and include employing local residents in easy-to-enter jobs.

First round initiatives are: on:

Lighting & Signage - retro-style new neon signs at the Pennsylvania Hotel & the Chinatown Plaza Parkade

Clean Streets Project - expanded street and lane cleaning to 40 blocks within the Downtown Eastside in partnership with United We Can and the Coast Foundation

Graffiti Removal & Art Project - expanded mural program & removal of graffiti

Community Gardens - convert vacant lots in targeted neighbourhoods into food production spaces and/or artist-designed community gardens

Building Improvements & Awning Replacements - restoration funding for alcoves and worn awnings on select heritage & non-heritage buildings

Princess Avenue - interpretive walk for children will includes murals, community markers and a structural children's silhouette sign

Heart of the City Festival - expanded capacity with a focus on the 150 year anniversary and the vibrancy of traditional founding urban communities

Blood Alley community greening in Gastown

More information.

Fall Mountain View of WestVan

2008-11-03T16:21:00.001-08:00

Fall Mountain View of WestVan
Originally uploaded by DJ_Riel

Another great shot of the mountains from my perch.

I like the cloud ring just below the crest.

Heatley Block History Talk

2008-11-03T11:23:00.000-08:00

If you have been curious just what all the fuss is about and want to learn more about the fascinating history of the Heatly Block, please come out to this presentation. I have found many archival images relating to people who lived in the two old houses, including a photo of the man who built the 1889 house...

Here is the blurb from the Heart of the City brochure...

History Talk

HEATLEY BLOCK HISTORY TALK
with James Johnstone

Tuesday November 4, 7pm - 9pm

Spartacus Books, 684 E. Hastings
Free

The 1931-built Heatley Block, along with its two attached pioneer period houses, is at the centre of a debate about its future. What is the history of these three buildings? To find out, come hear neighbourhood and house historian James Johnstone present some of his amazing findings from his research so far.

Spartacus Books, which recently opened their doors in the historic Heatley Block, has opened their doors to the festival.

fall in strathcona

2008-11-02T18:47:00.001-08:00

fall in strathcona
Originally uploaded by DJ_Riel

I love the leaves that fall from the big trees on Princess Ave in Strathcona every year.

Is your Halloween candy 'Made in China'?

2008-10-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

METRO VANCOUVER -- In the days leading up to Halloween, a "Made in China" stamp on a bag of candy can give some parents a bigger fright than the most ghoulish of costumes.

Fears about contamination, specifically from the toxic chemical compound melamine, have prompted some parents to take a closer look at where candies are coming from.

"I am absolutely worried about what my kids are going to bring home this Halloween," said Megan Zandstra, mother to three young children.

Zandstra says she has been receiving e-mails from friends who have been spreading the word about melamine, and specifically about the news earlier this month that melamine was found in chocolate coins being sold at Costco, dollar and bulk food stores.

Melamine is the toxin at the centre of China's tainted milk scandal, which has left more than 50,000 children ill and has led to at least four deaths.

In Canada so far, 14 Chinese-made food products have been recalled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency after tests found they contained significant quantities of melamine.

Generally, candies made by the big-name manufacturers such as Cadbury and Hershey are safe because they do not use milk products from China, said Garfield Balsom, a spokesman for the CFIA.

"We certainly have done a lot of work in terms of our retail assessment and our overall surveillance of the melamine issue in China," Balsom said Monday.

"The mainstream products, most of that is made in North America. . . . Like Cadbury's and Kraft, the big companies do not bring in product directly from China."

When it comes to Halloween candy, Zandstra says she generally feels comfortable with the familiar name brands, but this year, she wanted to do things a bit differently.

"Just this morning I bought a hundred tiny Cocoa Camino fair-trade chocolates from the Ten Thousand Villages store on Commercial Drive," she said in an e-mail. "I spent approximately $20 more than I would have on candy from Superstore. I felt a bit guilty about spending the extra cash, but I would rather hand out fewer quality candies than a handful of sugary, processed ones."

For Laura McKenzie though, mother to two young kids, the melamine issue has not been a big concern, nor has it come up in conversation with the other parents who live in her White Rock townhouse complex.

"I haven't heard one of them even mention it when talking about buying things for Halloween," McKenzie said.

The 14 food products that have been recalled in Canada include the milk chocolate pirate coins made by Sherwood Brand, Mengniu strawberry-flavour sour-milk beverage, OK OK Kaiser pretzels, Lotte brand Koala's March filled cookies, Mr. Brown 3-in-1 instant coffee products, White Rabbit candies, and Nissin's Cha Cha dessert. A full list can be found on the CFIA's website.

Balsom said the CFIA can never ensure that all Halloween candies are entirely safe, but the agency has been doing its best to test and monitor products with ingredients from China.

"I can only say what we've looked at in terms of the melamine in our survey and what we've done. But to say that every single product is safe, how can I guarantee that?" he asked.

Amy O'Brian, Vancouver Sun

aobrian@vancouversun.com

2 New Housing Offices Opening Up Downtown, DTES

2008-10-27T16:32:00.001-07:00

VANCOUVER - The provincial government will be opening two new housing offices in Vancouver this January to help tenants and landlords with tenancy information and outreach services.

One office will be located in the Downtown Eastside at 390 Main St. The office space, which was provided for free by the City of Vancouver, will be shared with Pathways Information Centre, a community services organization.

The second office will be situated downtown at 518 Richards St., at a single-room occupancy hotel owned by the province. BC Housing will share this office space.

Once the offices open in January, staff will be on hand five days a week for half a day, according to the Ministry Housing and Social Development.

"Locating our staff with existing services that help Vancouver residents will benefit a diverse group of tenants and landlords in the downtown area, giving them a single point of access to housing and support services," said Minister Rich Coleman.

The announcement was criticized by the NDP for being weak.

Continue reading Vancouver Sun article by Tim Lai.

Onni developer halts V6A construction but still pre-selling condos

2008-10-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

ctvbc.ca

A major developer in Metro Vancouver is being investigated by an arm of the provincial government after CTV found it was still selling condos even though construction has been halted at the project.

It's a big name developer, which has been building in Metro Vancouver for decades.

On Thursday, the Onni Group of Companies which is behind the V6A condo complex near Main and Union streets in Vancouver -- said the project has been postponed. But when CTV went to the sales center -- we discovered the units were still being offered for pre-sale -- and perspective buyers were not being told the project was on hold.

Now B.C.'s Superintendent of Real Estate is investigating.

"We have contacted the developer and asked for an update,'' said L. Jay Mitchell, B.C.'s Deputy Superintendent of Real Estate.

"We've indicated they have to make an amendment to their disclosure statement,'' she said. "We're making inquires about the deposits and the status of the project

The situation at Main and Union has not escaped the attention of NDP Housing critic Diane Thorne.

"I could hardly believe what I was seeing and hearing on television,'' she said. "It's the best example I have ever seen of the lack of consumer protection in British Columbia."

Meanwhile, any new protection for presale buyers would start with the B.C. Finance Minister Colin Hansen.

"If there's way we can strengthen the regulation and the procedures developers must follow, we are certainly willing to take a look at those and if we can do it in a way that makes sense, we will certainly be ready to do that,'' Hansen said.

Asked if he will looking into the situation at Onni, Hansen said he likely will. "I will certainly be looking into this particular example to see what lessons we can learn from it,'' he said.

As for the future of the V6A project, on Thursday, Onni's vice-president of development Beau Jarvis said he wasn't sure.

"I wouldn't say there is a timeline at this point,'' he said.

On Friday, Onni's executive vice president Chris Evans called CTV News and said that while he doesn't know when construction will resume, Onni plans on finishing the project sometime in 2010.

He declined an invitation to do an on camera interview.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Shannon Paterson

CTV Broadcast & more.

Insite supporters disrupt rush hour traffic to keep site open

2008-10-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

by janefromvancouver

I have an insight. The block party Insite supporters held yesterday afternoon was an attempt to embarrass Canada’s freshly re-elected Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Insite supporters — particularly executives and staff at the PHS Community Services Services Society which operates Insite — do not want Harper to shut down this space where junkies in Vancouver can drop-in to shoot-up. The Harper government is appealing a court decision that the nurse-supervised drug injection site must be kept open because it is a health service to which drug users have a right. The use of Canadian tax dollars to finance a cocaine and heroin shooting gallery is enough to make Harper shiver in his trademark sweater vest.

On Thursday, a party was held on the street in front of Insite on the Downtown Eastside in support of keeping the facility open. It was a party against the Conservative party.

The dark green building in the background is Insite.

A white tent at the block party in front of Insite housed speakers blasting recorded music and a huge poster with the words, “Play Music Not Politics”. A band was scheduled to play but the cops put a stop to it as organizers did not have a permit for this rush hour street party.

Don’t ask me how Insite supporters believed they could get public sympathy by suddenly disrupting traffic on the 100 block Hastings St. during rush hour, just after 5 p.m. Hastings is a six lane — four lanes of moving traffic and two parking lanes — major commuter artery. A witness who arrived early at the party, says there was some traffic flow until police arrived and shut down the entire block, apparently due to safety concerns.

The City of Vancouver had refused the Portland Hotel Community Services Society a permit to hold the party on Hastings at rush hour, but organizers did so anyway. Breaking the law may not be a way for the Portland Hotel Community Services Society to convince Prime Minister Harper, who ran in this month’s federal election on a ‘law and order’ platform, to allow them to continue to operate Insite. (Insite needs the Harper government to renew it’s exemption from the law, an exemption granted temporarily by a previous Liberal government since Insite provides a place for injection of illegal drugs.)

Photo above: Motorcycle cops parked on Columbia St. to prevent cars and buses from traveling onto the 100 block Hastings once the party got going.

Anyone who listens to Vancouver talk radio knows that inconveniencing commuters by blocking traffic on streets and bridges is becoming an issue. This year commuters have demanded to know why police blocked them during rush hour on the Lions Gate bridge for a film crew and for hours on the Second Narrows for somebody threatening to commit suicide.

Photo above: Vancouver Police were stopping pedestrians from using the sidewalk on the south side of the 100 block Hastings, across from the party.

There were lots of placards saying, “Trust the Evidence.” Such slogans are often used by Insite supporters despite the fact that the evidence for Insite has been mixed. Margaret Wente of the Globe & Mail, Canada’s most liberal national paper, wrote a column in July, “We Still Await the Scientific Proof of Harm Reduction’s Success“, outlining just how mixed the evidence is.

The propaganda at the party was effective. There were several black and white posters of children, posters the size of bus shelter images — one of a kid posing with his bicycle, another of a kid posing for what appeared to be a school photo — with captions, “Before they were “junkies” they were kids”.

This party was a made-for-media event, like so many political events on the Downtown Eastside. Lots of media had obviously been notified of the event as they were everywhere taking photos and interviewing people. The mainstream Vancouver media is sympathetic to Insite and tends to accept the prepared scripts they are fed. As media personality Pia Shandel, who opposed the supervised injection site said while a host on CFUN radio, the Vancouver media seem to make up their minds early on to support Insite.

Once media are invited to a political protest on the Downtown Eastside, a crowd is attracted by giving out free food. A couple of hundred poor people lined up at yesterday’s party waiting to be served free burgers. Potato chips and pop were given out later. The line-ups may have been longer if the monthly welfare checks hadn’t come out Wednesday.

Photo above: A man serves burgers wearing a t-shirt reading, “Do what’s right, support insite.”

Note the bars on the windows of the shop in the background. About 20 years ago, I was in a bus going up Main St. and an American tourist said to his fellow travelers in a New Jersey accent, “What do you notice about this city? No bars on the windows.” Now there are bars on most shop windows. Cops say “drug sick” people needing fix are pulling many break-ins.

Photo: As soon as the party started on Hastings St., numerous police moved in and limited it to a couple of lanes. Police refused to allow any traffic onto the opposite lanes, apparently for safety reasons.

Vancouver Police spokeswoman Jana McGuinness said police and City of Vancouver staff had discussions with the PHS Community Services Society about a less disruptive spot to hold the event. “We offered them a permit on a location 100 feet away on Columbia [Street] where they could party all night if they wanted to”, McGuinness said. But these events are above all about attracting public attention to a cause. And disrupting Hastings St. traffic during rush hour resulting in an inevitable clash with police could attract more attention and get more press than a party on a side street.

Falcon Video Shot

2008-10-26T23:01:00.001-07:00

Falcon Video Shot
Originally uploaded by DJ_Riel

This falcon was on our fence between our house and the next door neighbors place.

Cool

Restoration Plans for Pantages Theater Collapses

2008-10-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

After 38 months of negotiations and plans to restore the 100-year-old Pantages Theater, talks fell apart between the City of Vancouver and Peter Fairchild, the chair of the Pantages Theater Arts Society.

No reason was given for the City's decision and Mr Fairchild has issued a statement asking for public support.

Designed by Vancouver architect Edward Evans Blackmore the Pantages, located on Main at Hastings, the 650 seat theater was built in 1907 as a vaudeville house and was to be the future home of City Opera Vancouver, rehearsal space and art gallery along with three resident companies. The Pantages Project would also have included 130+ units of housing next door.

Mr Fairchild is urging the public to register their support for the Pantages by emailing:
mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca and cc: cb0bc@yahoo.com

Georgia Straight

5th Annual Heart of the City Festival

2008-10-21T16:27:00.000-07:00

The 5th Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival features over 80 events at over 25 locations throughout the DTES.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - Sunday, November 9, 2008

* Music
* Theater
* Media Arts
* Comedy
* Poetry
* Forums
* Workshops
* Visual Arts
* History Walks

The mission of the Heart of the City Festival is to promote, present, profile and encourage development of artists, art forms, cultural traditions, history, activism, people and great stories about Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Most festival events are free, by donation or pay as you can.

Tickets must be purchased for some events.

For more information, please visit Heart of the City Festival.

Women In Film & Television Vancouver: Call for Submissions

2008-10-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Women In Film & Television Vancouver is committed to the exploration and advancement of New Media/Experimental films and as such, would like to encourage New Media Submissions.

The submission fee for all New Media/Experimental films will be waived this year.
FINAL DEADLINE FOR NEW MEDIA SUBMISSION IS DECEMBER 5th, 2008.

=======================

REGULAR SUBMISSION FORM

Regular Submission Fees apply.
FINAL DEADLINE FOR REGULAR SUBMISSION IS OCTOBER 31st, 2008.

For more information and to download the submission form.

Downtown Eastside Opportunity!

2008-10-21T15:56:00.000-07:00

**please post and forward**

Fearless City Mobile Call for Participants
Short-term contracts for Downtown Eastside Residents,

We are fast approaching Fearless City Mobile’s exciting upcoming project-
Parade of Lost Souls, on Saturday October 25th, and are looking for 10 people to bring the Mobile Souls and Digital Shrine to life.

The Parade of the Lost Souls is a Grandview-Woodland’s Community
Halloween event that celebrates the cycle of life & death, and
encourages us to face our fears in order to live life to its fullest.
It is a time and a place to share losses at one of the many shrines
and celebrate life and to enrich our community. It takes Place on
Saturday October 25th, beginning at Grandview Park at 6:30pm. A
parade/procession will snake throughout the commercial drive area,
beginning at the NE corner of the park at 7pm.

Mobile Souls is a montage of live streaming video of the Parade and
installations along the route, as well as ‘mms’ texts and digital cell
phone images from festival attendees, that will be sifted, VJ’d and
projected. The montage will be projected on a screen at the corner of
Kitchener and Commercial and animated by live shadow puppet performers.

Fearless City Mobile will also be supporting the Digital Shrine
installation in Grandview Park. The shrine consists of digital images,
text and video sent in by community members in advance, as well as
mms texts sent in throughout the event.

Parade of Lost Souls is produced by the Public Dreams Society. For
more information on the event you can visit www.publicdreams.org.

Fearless City Mobile is a project of the Fearless Media Cluster of the
DTES Community Arts Network. For more information visit
www.fearlesscity.ca.

———

We are looking for 10 people in total to fill the following positions.

You do not need to have any experience with the following equipment,
software, or technology to apply for this opportunity.
**** All technical
equipment will be provided by Fearless city Mobile:

a) 1x VJ Assistant (Mobile Souls): Assisting VJ Jesse Scott in sorting
through incoming live streamed mobile video, still images and text. Text
will be manipulated in Livetype and exported into Modul8, the software
that will mix the video, text and still images.

b) 1x VJ Assistant (Digital Shrine): Assisting VJ Suez Holland and
Cultural Curator Flick Harrison in sorting through incoming live streamed
still images and text. Text will be manipulated in Livetype and exported
into Modul8, the software that will mix the text and still images with the
video material that flick has collected prior to the event. Video will not
be live streamed to this station.

c) 4x Mobile Videographers: Shooting mobile video of the event and
live-streaming it to the Mobile Souls VJ Station via Livecast.
Videographers will be positioned throughout the parade.

d) 4x Mobile SMS/MMS Outreachers: Outreaching to Parade of Lost
Souls attendees and introducing them to the Mobile Souls cell phone
texting platform. Instructing attendees on how to text in their
thoughts,
reflections and comments about the event to a specified Mobile
Souls phone number. These texts will be downloaded by a sift tool to
the VJ Stations.

You are also required to offer to text peoples comments for them
on your own phone, and to demonstrate the process.

The responsibilities for this contract include:

1. Attending an orientation workshop on Wednesday October 22 from
1-6pm at the Lori Krill Co-op at 65 W. Cordova

2. Attending the event on Saturday October 25th from setup at
5:00pm until the event ends at 12am. Wearing Halloween Costumes is
encouraged.

3. Completing a participant feedback form.

The Artist Fee for each position is $200.00.

Please submit a short paragraph stating your interest in the
project and a position to amy at fearlessmedia.ca by Tuesday October 21
at 12noon.
Amy Kazymerchyk
Fearless City Mobile
DTES Community Arts Network.

Strathcona has a Pumpkin

2008-10-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

I love Strathcona!

Where else would someone have a pumpkin growing at the corner of the street.

2nd Annual Celebrity Dim Sum Fundraiser at Floata Restaurant

2008-10-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

Be a part of a very special fundraising event on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at Floata Restaurant in Chinatown!

Carting dim sum favorites will be Rob Feenie (Cactus Club), Gloria Macarenko (CBC TV), Don Letendre (Opus Hotel) and many more recognizable faces! The event also includes fantastic performances, live entertainment, silent/live auction and more! Emcees for the event are Fred Lee (CBC’s Early Edition) and Dawn Chubai (CityTV’s Breakfast Television).

All proceeds of the event are directed to furthering ASIA’s mission of promoting the health of Asian communities by decreasing the impact of HIV/AIDS. ASIA provides multilingual, culturally appropriate services that support Asian Canadians in making informed choices and having equal access to care.

Celebrity Dim Sum '08

October 25, 2008 @ 10:30 AM
Tickets: $65, or $595 for a table of 10
Available through ASIA

Please contact (604) 669-5567
Sponsorship opportunities available.
Contact Suji Moon, Executive Director.

Vancouver moves closer to banning plastic bags

2008-10-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

The City of Vancouver is one step closer to banning plastic disposable shopping bags after city council passed a motion Tuesday asking city staff to investigate the feasibility of a ban.

The motion also committed the city to approach the B.C. government for permission to ban plastic shopping bags and to ask the province to consider passing a provincial ban on the bags.

Coun. Tim Stevenson, who led the motion, said he believes Vancouverites are behind the idea of banning plastic bags because of the environmental damage they cause.

Phasing in a ban would be a better alternative than charging consumers for plastic bags because charging fees would only penalize the poor, he said.

CBC news

Climate Cafe presents a Free workshop on green building

2008-10-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought of building a kitchen countertop with recycled paper? How about putting clay on your wall instead of paint? What, exactly, is ecotimber?

Dan Chalmers of GreenWorks Building Supply Inc. will be our guest on October 21st for our Green Building Climate Café. He will be sharing his knowledge and experience in a number of environmentally friendly building supplies and practices that can be used both for starting a new home and renovating an existing one. If you're thinking of taking the plunge into the world of green building, or are simply curious about this newly emerging industry, join us and discover what sustainable building is all about.

Come and join us at:
Date: Tuesday, October 21st, 6:45 to grab some java and a snack, 7pm kickoff
Laughing Bean Coffee Co.
2695 Hastings Street East
Vancouver, BC

This event is FREE.

http://www.climatecafes.ca/

The Climate Cafés are a new initiative aimed at empowering people to make the small but important differences in their lifestyle that can have dramatic effects on the long-term health of our planet.

Modeled on the enormously popular philosopher’s café format, we intend to bring together small groups in the community for peer-to-peer problem solving to significantly reduce our environmental footprint. Incorporated with these community meetings is an online blog website, which will allow all climate café participants to freely exchange issues and ideas at any time.

STUFF HAPPENS

2008-10-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

THE FIREHALL ARTS CENTRE UPCOMING PERFORMANCES & ACTIVITIES

David Hare's STUFF HAPPENS is a dynamic political drama. " I describe it as a play about how a supposedly stupid man, George W. Bush, gets everything he wants- and a supposedly clever man, Tony Blair , ends up with nothing he wants," states David Hare. Describing the events leading up to the 2003 invasion on Iraq, Stuff Happens provides a biting analysis of what happened and asks the audience to examine the power of dissent.

DATES: Preview October 17-21
Opens October 22 until November 8
TIME: Tuesday- Saturday 8:00pm
Wednesday Pay What You Can Matinees at 1pm
Saturday/Sunday Matinees at 2pm

Firehall Arts Centre
280 East Cordova Street@ Gore Ave.

Box Office: 604.689.0926
Office: 604.689.0691
Fax: 604.684.5841
Email: firehall@firehallartscentre.ca

Purchase tickets

Gallery Atsui opens doors in Strathcona

2008-10-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

In addition to the Lower East Side Studio, another new gallery has opened recently on Hastings and Princess. Gallery Atsui is by appointment only and its founders are artists Alex Grewal and Sascha Yamashita and writer-designer Todd Nickel.

“I’ve got a background in commercial galleries and Alex has a background in artist-run centres,” Yamashita says. “We thought Todd would be a great third addition, having worked in other facets of the arts.”

The gallery’s front window features a collaborative textwork by its artists, Kim Kennedy Austin, Steve Calbert, and Aaron Carpenter. Inside, the beautiful watercolour drawings, digital abstractions, and felt cutouts are well served by the polished appearance of the room. Immaculate white walls, glossy grey floors, and discrete track lighting all contrast with the raw appearance of many artist-run enterprises.

Keeping expenses low was a significant factor in choosing the location, and in undertaking most of the renovations themselves. The three partners all have day jobs, and Grewal and Yamashita share the studio at the back of their rented space. “We’re a working studio-gallery space, we’re not a nonprofit organization,” says Yamashita. Grewal adds: “To go the nonprofit, artist-run centre route, there would be so many obstacles, like becoming a registered charity.”

Their aim is to produce monthly exhibitions, do some community outreach, and make Atsui self-supporting through sales. “We would really love it to break even,” says Nickel modestly.

Full Georgia Straight article.

Harper dead set against Insite

2008-10-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

Amid protests, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper found himself once again defending his government's controversial efforts to end supervised street-drug injections at the Insite facility during a campaign stop in Richmond yesterday.

He said the Tories remain dead set against something they consider promoting drug use.

"When it comes to drug use, we want to make sure that we expend our resources on treatment and prevention, which we believe are the more appropriate vehicles," Mr. Harper said.

Proponents of Insite have expressed anger this week that the RCMP has commissioned research that offers contrary views of the facility's effectiveness.

Strathcona resident Gillian Maxwell, who lives near the Insite safe-injection site, said she felt compelled to join the protestors. "We're reminding Mr. Harper that we're still here, and we're not going away, and Insite isn't going away," she said. "Insite is a health-care facility, and it saves lives, and he can't shut it down."

Globe & Mail

The Province

Full Frontals - Rear Views

2008-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

To the casual observer, this phrase could suggest at something rather provocative. It is, after all, referencing a Strathcona Vancouver photograph exhibit early in October.

Strathcona community residents are fortunate to have an opportunity to see a long-time Strathcona, Vancouver resident, Louise Francis-Smith, share her photographic expose of the neighbourhood.

Full Frontals, Rear Views

Louise Francis-Smith, a long-time resident artist of Strathcona has a collection of Strathcona photographs from many years past.

WHEN
October 3 - 19, 2008

OPENING RECEPTION
Friday October 3, 6-9pm

WHERE
RedIron Studio and Gallery
884 East Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6A 2X1
604-254-0585

Read more about this photographic journey and introduction for the upcoming show at the LiveInStrathcona.com Arts & Culture pages about Louise Francis-Smith.

Ambassador Services expansion with Strathcona BIA to go before council

2008-10-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

A Project Civil City report is recommending that the Committee on City Services and Budgets negotiate and enter into a one-year sole-source contract with the Strathcona and Chinatown BIA associations. These contracts recommended to council are for the expansion of the Ambassador Program with BIAs that also include Kerrisdale and Robson Street.

The recommendation and contractual delivery of the ambassador services would use trained professional service providers for the Chinatown and Strathcona Programs. Key elements in the programs involve street patrol duty, safe-walk services, criminal activity monitoring and data collection and tracking, and appropriate action taken under the Trespass Act. The Strathcona BIA program will also employ a unique combination of foot and bicycle patrols with some limited vehicle use (in occasional instances where patrol-personnel safety might be a concern) their program has significant on-street community interaction.

Full city report.

Georgia Straight article.

Young gallery owners finding niche in Canadian art market

2008-09-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Young gallery owners are playing a greater role in the country's art scene, helping to launch the careers of lesser-known artists while bringing emerging international talent to Canada.

But they say a lack of funding means less creative input for those exhibiting and creating art.

Making a profit is one of the main challenges faced by Lisa Giroday, the owner, curator and director of Vancouver's L.E.S. Gallery, which has exhibited work by New York's Joseph Hart, Manuel Olia of Spain and up-and-comer Mark Delong of Vancouver.

The small space has been developing for three years, originally starting out as a studio that held the occasional art opening. Giroday added operating hours a year ago.

Throwing a successful art opening and drawing established artists to show their work isn't hard for Giroday. Selling art, however, is a different story.

"Getting people to financially support the gallery by buying work, and not just booze or books (at an opening) is another thing completely, so it's a total struggle," she said.

The 25-year-old works part time at a boutique to sustain herself and is currently taking an art history course at a local college.

However, Giroday said there is an upside to running a gallery that isn't focused solely on turning a profit. She said she doesn't have to stick to specific parameters in terms of what's considered marketable and commercial, which means she can have fun experimenting.

"(Because of) my interest in being different and my lack of interest in making money, artists find it to be an advantage that I can see it from an alternative perspective," she said.

See the full Canadian Press article.

Visit the Lower East Side Studio Gallery site for current and upcoming shows.

Next I Heart Crafts Bazaar Sunday Sept 28th 2008!

2008-09-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Upcoming craft fair Sunday Sept 28th, 11 am to 6 pm. In Strathcona, at the Ukrainian Cultural Center, 805 East Pender St. Vancouver. A note on Accessibility: The building does have a wheelchair accessible bathroom in the basement, via a ramp from outside, around back. However the bazaar is on the main floor which is up about 6 outdoor steps, with a strong metal railing. The aisles between rows at the bazaar are wide for manuvering, and there are chairs available to take a break.

27th Annual Vancouver International Film Festival | Sept 25 - Oct 10, 2008

2008-09-26T16:58:00.001-07:00

The 27th Annual Vancouver Film Festival is back!

Among the biggest film festivals in North America, the VIFF is showing 332 films from 60 countries at 575 screenings over 16 days to an audience of 150,000. The international line-up includes many undiscovered gems and the pick of the world's top film fests.

For more information, schedules, film line-up, please visit the VIFF website at http://www.viff.org/home.html

Strathcona Film Festival

2008-09-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

WHAT
Dear Neighbours, our outdoor movie night this year is scheduled for September 13th, 2008. Please invite family and friends to set out blankets and enjoy this one-night film festival together!

WHEN
Saturday, September 13th, 2008
Saturday, September 20th, 2008 Rain Date
8:30 - 9:00pm Shorts by Local Filmmakers
9:00 - 11:00pm Feature Presentation chosen by you

WHERE
McLean Park at the corner of Keefer St and Hawks Ave

HOW
To celebrate the Olympics, this year's theme is Sports Films. Please cast your vote at www.strathconafilms.org. To showcase local talent, we will also present shorts by local filmmakers. If you’ve made a short film (5 minutes max in length and family friendly), please email shorts@strathconafilms.org - Please include your name, phone number, name of your film, and a link to your film; e.g. website, YouTube, etc. Submissions must be received by August 31, 2008.

Summer Silence Makes Way for Fall Festivities

2008-08-26T18:16:00.001-07:00

New Fall Events are coming as summer draws to a close, and the families and kids settle back into the routines of the school year. As for all the single folk, the camping gear is almost ready to be packed for the winter, and everyone reluctantly gets back to college, university, and work. Let's see what the community has in store for us in the coming weeks:

First Up is Justice Rocks
Fusing Pop Culture and Social Change

Free to All
August 30, 2008
12 - 8 P.M.
Strathcona Park

Performances By
Choir Practice
Run GMC
Fur Bearing Animals
Curtis Santiago
and more

Also featuring
Wilderness Committee
BC Civil Liberties
Portland Hotel Society
and more!

Kidz Zone
Noon to 3 P.M. with storytimes, activities, and fun stuff!
Visit www.justicerocks.org for more information about how to volunteer, sponsor, or support Justice Rocks - and for Information on the AfterParty!

Up Second is the Strathcona Film Festival

WHAT
Dear Neighbours, our outdoor movie night this year is scheduled for September 13th, 2008. Please invite family and friends to set out blankets and enjoy this one-night film festival together!

WHEN
Saturday, September 13th, 2008
Saturday, September 20th, 2008 Rain Date
8:30 - 9:00pm Shorts by Local Filmmakers
9:00 - 11:00pm Feature Presentation chosen by you

WHERE
McLean Park at the corner of Keefer St and Hawks Ave

HOW
To celebrate the Olympics, this year's theme is Sports Films. Please cast your vote at www.strathconafilms.org. To showcase local talent, we will also present shorts by local filmmakers. If you’ve made a short film (5 minutes max in length and family friendly), please email shorts@strathconafilms.org - Please include your name, phone number, name of your film, and a link to your film; e.g. website, YouTube, etc. Submissions must be received by August 31, 2008.

Up Next... Full Frontals, Rear Views

Louise Francis-Smith, a long-time resident artist of Strathcona has a collection of Strathcona photographs from many years past.

WHEN
October 3 - 19, 2008

OPENING RECEPTION
Friday October 3, 6-9pm

WHERE
RedIron Studio and Gallery
884 East Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6A 2X1
604-254-0585

Bean Around The World In Strathcona

2008-07-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

I find it interesting that we have a few new coffee shops popping up in the hood.

We started with The Wilder Snail with it's earthy, organic vibe. Now, while they're more on the outskirts of Strathcona proper, we're starting to see other coffee shops popping up.

The Waves at Pender and Main is the most interesting from a visible social change level, the other one to watch which has had a brisk uptake in traffic is the new Bean Around The World at Union and Gore.

I did a brief cell phone interview with the owner Craig.

Interview with Bean Around the World Owner from Riel on Vimeo.

Onni Breaking Ground In Strathcona

2008-07-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

With a 2 new developments on this corner, it will be interesting to see what happens with prices in the area. Do they stay flat, or start to rise as we get closer to 2010.

You can see that the coffee shops are already starting to move in on the area.

Koobasa Day at Benny's

2008-06-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

Council Approves EcoDensity Charter

2008-06-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

Vancouver City Council unanimously voted on June 10 to adopt the EcoDensity Charter.

The EcoDensity Charter commits the City to make environmental sustainability a primary goal in all city planning decisions - in ways that also support housing affordability and livability.

The first two actions to be implemented by the City immediately are:
1. Rezoning policy for greener buildings: Applications for new rezoning will need to meet a minimum LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver rating, or similar equivalency in green design. The City will also be expecting that energy performance, water efficiency and storm water use be considered.

2. Rezoning policy for greener larger sites: Changes to rezonings for land that is two acres or more. A number of sustainability measures will be required for these rezonings, and for sites with housing, a range of types and tenures must be considered to increase affordable housing opportunities.

Longer-term actions that will receive priority include: an interim EcoDensity rezoning policy; options for backyard/laneway housing; more options for secondary suites; and removal of barriers to green building approaches.

Council initiated the EcoDensity program in July 2006. The final Charter and Actions incorporated public input from a Special Council Meeting that lasted seven sessions, amongst numerous other public consultation opportunities.

To view the EcoDensity Charter and Initial Actions and for more information: vancouver.ca/ecodensity

Who Needs Insight on Insite?

2008-05-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

Eastside
Originally uploaded by Daquella manera

Federal Government Health Minister Tony Clements prefers overdoses leading to death, than safe injection interventions that could lead to health. Appallingly, the Federal Government has made a decision to take the province to court after the BC Supreme Court's decision to support Insite.

Living in Vancouver, it is clear that drastic measures, services, and programs are needed to solve the issues. What is seen on the surface, is rarely ever the cause. While Insite may not be perfect, and it may leave a lot to be desired, it is the first positive step taken in Canadian society to move further forward with progressive and proactive measures that could lead to recovery.

Saving lives from this affliction is far more complex than a safe injection site. That safe injection site, however, becomes a valuable gateway to intervention; coaxing jaded and cynical people off the street who have been abused repeatedly. They might consider surrendering their negative lifestyle to the possibility and hope that our society's limited programs and services can help them get their lives back together.

Change is work, and it is hard work. Every healthy person recognizes this, and when we have bad days, we know how much more difficult - sometimes impossible - it is to succeed with change. If society wishes for the addict, street person, prostitute, and other at-risk individuals to "do the work," then society and government at all levels had better be prepared to do-the-work that creates the systems and structure that ensure success.

Insite, with an average of 600 daily visits, intervened to resuscitate 900 overdoses since opening. Liz Evans, who runs Insite in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health says, "If those injections were taking place in back alleys, those people would go under. There would be no nurse there to help save their lives."

"I don't think anyone has ever said that Insite is a magic pill that will resolve all the issues around mental health and addictions," says B.C. Health Minister George Abbott.

"No one has ever said that. I see, and the government sees, the provincial government at least, sees Insite as part of a continuum of services aimed at assisting addicts through their life issues."

Regarding Ottawa's drug policies, Abbott said: "I don't think they yet appreciate that it is useful to have the opportunity to bring some stability into the lives of people who have tragically very little stability in their lives."

Local enforcement professionals also expressed varied opinions on the subject, both for and against what Insite offers. The against position rightly expresses the overwhelming level of 'tolerance' that allows inappropriate behaviour to continue unchecked and without adequate consequences (if any). A significant reason our social issues have spun out of control is the lack of accountability, along with actionable and achievable goals that empower change.

Our own complacency had most of Vancouver turn a blind eye to the issues, and the escalation we're experiencing has resulted in more discontentment. As people become discontent, therefore less tolerant, the voices are likely to start clamoring for change. Even so, as expressed by some residents, some professionals, and some government offices, 'we don't want to encourage that here!'

A walk through a local green-space on the edge of Strathcona and Chinatown often reveals many reasons for this attitude's survival. Mere steps into the park space, right along the sidewalk, a mound of hypodermic needles still fresh in their packaging, is found. On the way to work in the morning, homeless are now found sleeping and bundled in filthy blankets on common property on residential streets. Walking across town, men and women alike are accosted on almost every block by those wanting, needing, and even demanding a handout. Could this why Insite is not recognized as working?

On one hand, the Federal Health Minister Tony Clement wants it shut down. This is looking like a political battle, not a battle for lives nor solutions. With the majority of the Conservatives backed by tough-on-crime critics, supporting Insite may have offended their reelection. Here in Vancouver, the Mayor, Chief of Police, and others are in support; likely also seeking the popular vote of Vancouver residents and business.

What are your views, your expertise, or opinions about these people, this issue, and how it can be solved? Are politicians and our systems capable? If not, why and what can we do?