Vancouver 2010 Olypmpics/Homelessness

ital8

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The Vancouver 2010 Olympics are coming up in about a year, and until recently I had no idea that Vancouver had such a crisis with its homeless/drug population. I don't mean to insult the city of Vancouver. It looks, and I'm sure it is a beautiful city, but what is the government going to do with all of the homeless in the city for the Games? I've seen videos on youtube of Hastings Street (I guess that's East Vancouver) of swaths of homeless and drug addicted people roaming that area of the city. It's really sad if you ask me. With the economy getting worse and more people losing their jobs I wonder how this is going to effect that population. Does the city plan on providing temporary housing for them? Vancouver must have a lot of preparation for constructing the Olympic venues so I can imagine how this can certainly be an added strain to an unwanted situation.
 

vince

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Yep. Vancouver has had this problem on the downtown eastside since the 1930's. It's known as "Skidroad". It's about a ten square block area between the port and Chinatown, of cheap bars, flop-houses, sailors, out of work loggers, hookers and drug addicts. You can walk through there and see people in the alleys shooting up in broad daylight.

Vancouver has always been a magnet for people down on their luck from across Canada. The weather is not freezing in the winter, and there is a good welfare system.

I don't know what, if any plans the city has for the area during the Olympics. There was a lot of talk about the subject prior to the World's Fair in 1986, but basically they did nothing. Expo 86 was right next door to Skidrow.

Over the last 20 years East Hastings and Gastown have under gone quite a bit of "gentryfication", but the residents of the area have not bowed to the pressure to leave of the developers and city hall. The Downtown Eastside Residents Association is very strong politically and has fought successive attempts to push out the poor living in the area. The Province and city have made the developers contribute improving housing as they renovate old building into new housing. So now you can buy a $500,000 800sq ft loft in the heart of skidrow.

The Police and the City do quite a bit to try and help the area. But I doubt this is a problem that will ever go away. Many people in the city prefer to try to keep the 'problem' contained to this one small area.
 

Lucky_Luke

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The Vancouver 2010 Olympics are coming up in about a year, and until recently I had no idea that Vancouver had such a crisis with its homeless/drug population. I don't mean to insult the city of Vancouver. It looks, and I'm sure it is a beautiful city, but what is the government going to do with all of the homeless in the city for the Games? I've seen videos on youtube of Hastings Street (I guess that's East Vancouver) of swaths of homeless and drug addicted people roaming that area of the city. It's really sad if you ask me. With the economy getting worse and more people losing their jobs I wonder how this is going to effect that population. Does the city plan on providing temporary housing for them? Vancouver must have a lot of preparation for constructing the Olympic venues so I can imagine how this can certainly be an added strain to an unwanted situation.

Are you suggesting that the Government ought to warehouse them during the Olympics so everyone can pretend they aren't there?

I admit that's what every other Olympic host city does - apparently pretending that social problems don't exist and ought to be swept out of sight is an important part of the Disney-Olympic spirit.
 

ital8

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Are you suggesting that the Government ought to warehouse them during the Olympics so everyone can pretend they aren't there?

I admit that's what every other Olympic host city does - apparently pretending that social problems don't exist and ought to be swept out of sight is an important part of the Disney-Olympic spirit.

I wasn't suggesting nor do I think that it is a good solution, but it just seems like that is something the city or any city hosting a worldwide event would do.
 

ccss

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I grew up in Vancouver and honestly, I don't see this issue as being bigger than any other city which is similar in size. The local government definitely recognizes this as a problem and I have seen good progress in this area over the years. Unlike other cities, the homelessness situation is very openly and honestly discussed.

Before Christmas, a new mayor was elected in Vancouver and many agree that his putting the "homeless" issue as his main campaign focus helped get him elected in a landslide election. Maybe it's too early to see what effect has taken place so far, but I would safely say that the issue is being addressed, Olympics or not.
 

faceking

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The Vancouver 2010 Olympics are coming up in about a year, and until recently I had no idea that Vancouver had such a crisis with its homeless/drug population. I don't mean to insult the city of Vancouver. It looks, and I'm sure it is a beautiful city, but what is the government going to do with all of the homeless in the city for the Games? I've seen videos on youtube of Hastings Street (I guess that's East Vancouver) of swaths of homeless and drug addicted people roaming that area of the city. It's really sad if you ask me. With the economy getting worse and more people losing their jobs I wonder how this is going to effect that population. Does the city plan on providing temporary housing for them? Vancouver must have a lot of preparation for constructing the Olympic venues so I can imagine how this can certainly be an added strain to an unwanted situation.

Yet another North American city littered w/ social trash, yet continuing to vote liberal in order to 'fix' the problems that never get fixed (nee BC Liberal, New Democrat). You see... you need the problem to continue to exist in order to be the one to solve it. Marion Berry, Nagin, Dellums, Kilpatrick, Newsom, et al.
 

vince

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The BC Liberal party is liberal in name only. You're talking out of your ass again FK.
 

B_VinylBoy

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Yet another North American city littered w/ social trash, yet continuing to vote liberal in order to 'fix' the problems that never get fixed (nee BC Liberal, New Democrat).

So when China had a similar problem with dealing with their homeless population when they prepared for the Summer Olympics last year, should we blame their people for voting liberal too? Oh, I forgot... they don't have a Democracy.

It's as if Faux News installed a headphone port in your brain, if only just to use your mouth as a speaker for nothing more than illogical, anti-Liberal blather. And you call me the angry, bitter one... :rolleyes:
 

Guy-jin

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Yet another North American city littered w/ social trash, yet continuing to vote liberal in order to 'fix' the problems that never get fixed (nee BC Liberal, New Democrat). You see... you need the problem to continue to exist in order to be the one to solve it. Marion Berry, Nagin, Dellums, Kilpatrick, Newsom, et al.

Maybe we should rename you "facepalm".

Before people start talking about "Liberals" and "Democrats" in this thread, maybe they should go ahead and look up the "BC Liberal" party.

And hey, while you're at it, look up the NPA also, especially because they've historically been the dominant party in Vancouver politics.