On the streets,

Tabulating humans and changes in Downtown Eastside.

There is probably no area in Canada that has been studied and experimented upon more widely than Vancouver’s notorious Downtown Eastside. Long an area inhabited by low-income residents, it is now widely known as home to drug addicts and a myriad of drug dealers; as the community of last refuge for the mentally ill; as a ghetto filled with less than substandard housing; as a dangerous but accepting refuge for the homeless; as the nexus of crime for Greater Vancouver; and as the destination of last resort for society’s discards.

49°16'52.9"N 123°06'04.4"W

( Heart of Downtown Eastside)

Vancouver’s downtown eastside

The tragedy would be if encroaching gentrification smothers what so many who are not of the community cannot see, the spirit of resilience amongst so many of those who do live there. There is a part of all of them in the Downtown Eastside, the failures and tragedies, the successes, the inhumanity to one another, the love and support for one another, the giving up and sheer determination to survive life’s journey. In the Downtown Eastside, they are writ large. Circumstances and choices have concentrated the intensity of life in this small area of Vancouver. Demonstration of pure humanity regardless of where we all live.

“The city's lights don't shine as bright when you've got nowhere to call home" - Michael

"Don't be afraid of us, we are all just normal people like you" - Bill"

"It's chill, everyone is here for something they need, and that's pretty good - Henry"

"The Eastside is different than your average place, everyone is different but similar in a way - David"

Currently,

The future of the Downtown Eastside is a challenging yet unique opportunity for Vancouver.

It is from the intensity of life in the Downtown Eastside that we all can learn. Vancouverites should take pride that our city is better now because residents of the neighbourhoods making up the Downtown Eastside over the past 40 years took the leadership to halt the downtown east-west freeway, save and rehabilitate Strathcona housing, improve safety in private hotels, secure essential non-market housing, create Strathcona Community Gardens and CRAB Park, open the Carnegie Community Centre, launch Canada’s first supervised injection site, undertake countless of community business enterprises to support local economy and employment.

This same area is also home to the largest resident-artist population in the city. More arts festivals and cultural events are held here than anywhere else. The annual Heart of the City Festival is an outstanding example of a truly inclusive community arts event, everyone who lives in the Downtown Eastside is welcome to participate in art forms of personal interest. These community arts activities build on people’s strengths, they give voice to people’s life experiences and to their dreams for themselves and their community. Most importantly, they build bridges among groups – across income and circumstance – within the community and without. Residents of Downtown Eastside had to fight for these achievements on their own initiative. These accomplishments and the spirit behind them are true gifts to the Greater Vancouver.