The Vancouver Province ran an article today about another development project that includes low income and social housing with private condos. As I’ve said before, these are ideal. Again local extremists complain that the development project will chase away addicts. I’m sorry if I find that amusing but most people think getting the drug addicts out of the neighborhood is a good thing. If a new development project will bring working people into East Van and get rid of all the drug addicts, than that is a good thing.
I’m not talking about crushing the homeless. This project includes spaces for low income as well as social housing. So that would mean 97 more low income units than what currently exists in that location. And get this: they are low income units in a nice building not a disgusting slum that is a health hazard like the American hotel were Tony Terezakis was beating the life out of drug addicts who owed him money.
The builder refers to the project as a game changer and I agree. This is what we need. Usually it’s hard to convince business to move into bad areas. Now they are doing it all on their own, they’re included low income housing and we have extremists still complain. They must be the ones selling drugs out of Vandu. Drug dealers oppose the project because it will reduce their business.
Did you know there is some magnificent stained glass at the Carnegie centre? I noticed it one day wading through the drug dealers on East Hastings. It’s low, right about the street level. Turns out on the inside there’s a marble swirling staircase and a magnificent stained glass portrait of Milton, Shakespeare and Spenser. Everyone should be able to see the magnificent history the Carnegie Centre has to offer. Right now all the drug dealers are preventing the general public from seeing it. That isn’t right. The Institute for Stained Glass Canada has documented it on their web site.
Thanks for the stained glass picture. I had to live down there for six months, years back, but at least by doing so, no one else can tell me what the DTES is about.
ReplyDeleteAnd as a former SRO resident I can tell you either fixing them up (like the Marble Arch) or tearing 'em down is the only way. I know folks at the sickening Regent, every single SRO has been torn down on Hastings between the Regent & the Grand Union, with the land values so high, they're next to go. Wipe them off the face of the earth.
The residents? They will enjoy the amazing pleasures of simply living like a human being; in those completely renovated places left. And there will be plenty of new rooms for them all.