Union Gospel Mission is having their proposal for a new facility at Princess and Hastings heard by the Development Permit Board, Monday December 17th. Going ahead, it will mean a new social services structure providing much needed support to work toward solving issues of the DTES.
Concerned neighbours and residents, however, feel strongly about opposing the new structure. Doing so, they also bring up many valuable points. A couple very important issues relate to public safety, and in particular, the safety of children attending school one block away.
Personally, I feel torn around the issue. I started hunting the Internet to see what I could find. Discovering Hands Across Hasting I knew I had found a local source that speaks about many of the issues within the Strathcona area.
Reading more of the blog, the issues feared are already present and have been for some time. This begs the question whether building the new UGM structure might actually have a positive impact versus the perceived negative impact?
The issues of the DTES have been in the media for years. Many demonstrations, and many opinions voiced. There is support for and against harm reduction strategies. This has the history play an important part in the choices on the table today.
City planning doesn’t move very quickly in relation to other aspects of our daily lives and livelihoods. Collecting data, public hearings and meetings, writing reports, and developing strategies are the tip of the iceberg. Then come purchasing real estate, developing drawings and site maps, seeking approvals, and so on.
This means the topic on the table today has been around for a long time. Whose voice is the most important then? Residents of today, or the voice of history leading to decisions being made now? Controversial, I know. I feel the conundrum in my own daily choices walking about the city.
Whether the UGM proposal is approved doesn’t seem to be the real issue. The real issue is how to address the issues of the downtown eastside and solve many of these problems that are still pouring into the Strathcona neighbourhood?
And a curious aside, when I hear gentrification opposed by the same people who oppose the goals of the UGM, I wonder if they really know whose side they are on?
Further Resources:
Draft Housing Plan for the DTES