Decisions, decisions…This Saturday April 17th at the Carnegie Theatre (Main and Hastings) come out for the Monthly General Meeting of the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council (DNC) and see what’s developing in your neighbourhood!
The meeting will begin at 4pm and will deal with these proposals from the newly elected Steering Committee: (to add some context I’ve given a little background to the issues where I can, thank you April at Aha Media for posting this earlier today)
First: To adopt new committees and get reports from their members
1. Safety committee
2. Constitution committee
3. Membership and communications committee
Second: To consider working on these 7 hot neighbourhood issues or opportunities:
1. Stop shelter closures April 30th. These shelters were put up just before the Olympics, have temporarily housed over 200 people, and if they close it may put sudden pressure on numerous support networks and organizations in the DTES like First United Church, as well as green spaces throughout the city celebrated by tourists and locals alike as some have postulated. These shelters have been well used, funded by the City and the Province and many in the community are hoping to pressure both levels of government to continue them until a comprehensive affordable housing solution created.
2. Get a pool at the new VPL site on Hastings. Pretty self explanatory I’d say.
3. Start up a street market for second hand goods and get city funding available but not being used. Ken Lyotier at United We Can has mentioned the idea of binners having a forum to sell cool stuff they find (and fix up or clean) for several years apparently, this may be related to that. If anyone knows please comment.
4. Get free wireless at Carnegie and in the whole DTES. There have been rumblings regarding the idea of making downtown Vancouver and the entire peninsulae a free wi-fi zone, but this also has security issues inherent to it as well as resistence from various ISPs who may stand to lose market share. Free Wi-Fi for the DTES would be great for low-income residents though as it would take some financial pressure off them for what many believe has become an essential resource and service. The internet is a powerful tool for communication, job searching, education and news and it could benefit a lot of residents who may not have access to it, or who can barely afford it, for sure.
5. Start guerrilla police complaints process and emergency cell phone donation drive. This I don’t know anything about, although I’m sure someone at Pivot Legal does.
6. Work on safety complaints in Strathcona. One of the items on the table may be concerning a contaminated plot of land that a few different groups have expressed interest in (or concern with). Some ideas on the table are tax breaks & other incentives similar to what Burnaby & Coquitlam are offering and possible breaks for doing needed environmental assessments and clean-up. Some have suggested a community garden or Social Housing be put on this land but members of the Strathcona BIA and other residents have expressed concern that the site needs to be properly remediated before anything like that can happen.
7. Stop closure of 2 DTES daycares Citygate and Phil Bouvier. Central City Foundation and a group of community partners created the Phil Bouvier Family Centre to provide support for kids and their families in the DTES in 2004. Named after Phil Bouvier, who championed the project, the centre has been of great benefit to the community. Citygate Early Learning and Care Centre (1192 Quebec Street) provides care for children aged 3 to 5 years, specializing in integrating special needs children in the centre. I was recently talking with John Tylee at the Vancouver Economic Development Commission and he, like others in economic development and government, are perplexed and concerned about BC (and Vancouver’s) poor childcare record. Childcare costs in Vancouver are outrageous (20% of household income) and access to quality care is an issue for many families. If these two facilities were to close down it could be more salt on the wound for struggling Vancouver families.
So show up on Saturday, 4pm if any of these issues are of interest to you. I’ll see you there.
-Wes-
The Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council has been championing a Street Market and Fair which you may have seen lately (or may see in the future). The Street Market and Fair happens every Sunday from 12-5pm in Pigeon Park and provides an opportunity for local binners and residents to display and sell various items they’ve come into possession of or created themselves. Many of these items are very useful and in excellent condition so come on down and have a look, you might find something you need!
