Vancouver City Workshop at the Dugout

Friday, representatives of the City of Vancouver Community Services Group held a workshop at the Dugout. The purpose was to do some asset mapping and beginning to collect data from the residents of the DTES (Downtown Eastside) about what places and things are important to them. Participants opinions and observations will help the city planners understand the effects of development for the future of the community. This was the first of many workshops to be held in the area and the findings will be published this fall.

Tanya Fink, a Social Policy Planner organized the event. I am very familiar with her compassion and effectiveness as she serves in the Eastside. She started volunteering at the Church a few years ago, and was motivated by these experiences to get her master's degree in social planning at the University of British Columbia.

The group attending all had low income housing in DTES. Tanya had a large map of the area and each person used colored dots to demonstrate the assets of the community that are meaningful to them. The Dugout, First United Church, The Carnegie Centre and a variety of parks were the most common. General agreement was formed on the need for a large recreation center offering athletic, recreational and educational programs.

There were three men at my table who have lived in the DTES ranging from 17 to 33 years. It was my first in-depth chance to visit with residents who had worked regularly but are not now because of disabilities from  work injury or retirement. Two are living in SRO's (Single Room Occupancy) where 8-10 rooms share a bathroom and cooking is impractical in their rooms. They listed a half dozen new housing developments that have taken in homeless but not the existing residents in lesser facilities. One of the men who worked 17 years while living in the Eastside was talking about becoming homeless to gain entry given the advice of his residence manager.He has been applying for 8 years. He was prepared to get a tent and live this way if it would gain him access by being homeless. The other man had worked 32 years as a roofer while living in the area.

My primary interests are addressing addiction, but recovery is not possible unless there are stronger social / cultural / spiritual influences available than the drug culture. Safe low cost housing is essential for this to happen in the DTES.This all is in stark contrast to most of Vancouver which has the highest cost of living in North America.

Tanya will be holding another workshop like this in a variety of settings with the next one on June 26 at First United Church where most of the participants will be homeless. It will be interesting to gain from their perspectives.