Danny Green Sees East Van for First Time (Vancouver is No Good)

[afc wimbledon]

Historically the DTES developed out of the logging industry, loggers, like the oil patch now, would be up country for weeks at a time but they were moved by boat not cars so would get off at Hastings pier with a month of pay in their pocket looking for a cheap room, booze and a hooker

[blankall]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

Interesting!

My other question is why such the huge concentration of hard drug users? Is it because of the injection sites? Other cities have injection sites too.

I don't take weather as a reason.

Toronto, Calgary, Montreal. These cities also have a lack of affordable housing and a crap economy. So why aren't there people outside Exhibition park shooting up? Why is it only Vancouver?

It is more than just weather.

There really is a community down there. Drug addicts have people they interact with, friends, good panhandling locations, sex work, support services, drug dealers, etc.. All also highly concentrated in that area. It's just become a culture down there. Once again, the resources and budgetary cuts required to dismantle the community would be intensive, and no politician wants to be the one responsible for that.

Also, unless you actually deal with the addiction issues dispersing the community would largely be fruitless.

Weather does play a role though. Many of the addicts come from all across Canada and the USA.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

That's why I don't understand how Vancouver is ranked as such a great city. With such a huge pocket like that it comes across as a ####hole to me.

I lived there for almost 6 years and would move back tomorrow if I had the chance. East Hastings was the only place I avoided as much as I could. I have a disability which makes me an easy target and I never really felt unsafe whether it was day or night.

[Flash Walken]

The reason people are homeless is because they have no homes.

If Vancouver wasn't a cesspool of corruption, the homeless problem wouldn't be near the issue it is.

We have low taxes though so weeeeeee.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The reason people are homeless is because they have no homes.

If Vancouver wasn't a cesspool of corruption, the homeless problem wouldn't be near the issue it is.

We have low taxes though so weeeeeee.

How do you explain Victoria, the homeless capital of the world?

Must be their poop water.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

I've never really tried it.

But I guarantee if my 10 friends and I got together we got drunk outside some church. Just hanging out on the lawn. The police would come and either tell us to get out of there at the very least.

But when you've sold your last pair of shoes for that case of beer and have no where else to go...

[Blaster86]

DTES: You won't get mugged, but if you leave a bag unattended for a few seconds that #### is gooooooooooone.

[evman150]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

How do you explain Victoria, the homeless capital of the world?

It's the weather. It's all about the weather. You know what sucks about Vancouver's weather? The rain. Rain really sucks when you're homeless. Solution? Go to Victoria where rainfall is less than 1/3 of Vancouver.

It's easy to dismiss weather because it matters so little to most people in the big picture. But it matters a hell of a lot more when you have to face it 24/7/365.

Victoria is homeless heaven.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

How do you explain Victoria, the homeless capital of the world?

Must be their poop water.

Victoria is the epicenter of bc corruption.

It's where the legislature is!

[lazypucker]

Speaking of Victoria, I recently went there, and got to a Save On Foods for some fruits and snacks. I had to use the washroom.

After I punched in the code and opened the door, I was surprised that the whole washroom was lit by blue UV neon lights, like those you will see at a nightclub. I was like WTF!! Then a grocery clerk who happened to walk by told me that the UV lights were installed for people shooting up in the bathroom, as it will be easier for them to find their veins....

BC and their ultra liberal government. I don't understand it.

[evman150]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Speaking of Victoria, I recently went there, and got to a Save On Foods for some fruits and snacks. I had to use the washroom.

After I punched in the code and opened the door, I was surprised that the whole washroom was lit by blue UV neon lights, like those you will see at a nightclub. I was like WTF!! Then a grocery clerk who happened to walk by told me that the UV lights were installed for people shooting up in the bathroom, as it will be easier for them to find their veins....

BC and their ultra liberal government. I don't understand it.

It's actually the opposite. The blue light makes it difficult to find veins, and thus discourages drug use.

[Flash Walken]

I think it's actually the opposite, it's supposed to make it harder to find veins to discourage use in that location.

[burn_this_city]

Vancouver and Victoria attract homeless from across Canada because the weather is mild. Same thing with Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by blankall

It is more than just weather.

There really is a community down there. Drug addicts have people they interact with, friends, good panhandling locations, sex work, support services, drug dealers, etc.. All also highly concentrated in that area. It's just become a culture down there. Once again, the resources and budgetary cuts required to dismantle the community would be intensive, and no politician wants to be the one responsible for that.

Also, unless you actually deal with the addiction issues dispersing the community would largely be fruitless.

Weather does play a role though. Many of the addicts come from all across Canada and the USA.

I believe that recent survey data has shown that most of the addicts were locals.

The community is also driven by the high housing prices here in Vancouver. A lot of addicts turn to drugs after a time on the streets.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

Seeing a group of people in public injecting themselves with drugs during the middle of the day in the centre of the city is pretty dramatic though. Its like something from a dystopian movie. I've never seen that before or since. I also saw some people who were messed up on something and I just didn't trust what they might do.

I don't get it to be honest. Vancouver has safe injection sites so why do they let these people shoot up outside. Why can't the local police enforce the laws?

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

Like you said it's very shocking to see these hard drugs being used so openly in the city centre.

I guess my question is...Why?

Why is it allowed?

Injection sites aren't restricting themselves to having people inject at the location. They hand out free needles for people to inject whereever they want (outside their site) - their goal is to hand out free paraphernalia for drug users to inject "safely".

[peter12]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Injection sites aren't restricting themselves to having people inject at the location. They hand out free needles for people to inject whereever they want (outside their site) - their goal is to hand out free paraphernalia for drug users to inject "safely".

By "safely" you mean to prevent the spread of HIV, HepC, and a host of other infections, right?

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by peter12

By "safely" you mean to prevent the spread of HIV, HepC, and a host of other infections, right?

I assume safely was put in “” because there’s real “safe” way for a drug addict to inject heroin, but it’s significantly safer than the alternative.

Or maybe I’m being generous.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I assume safely was put in “” because there’s real “safe” way for a drug addict to inject heroin, but it’s significantly safer than the alternative.

Or maybe I’m being generous.

I think there's a pretty heaping helping of NIMBYism going on here.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I think there's a pretty heaping helping of NIMBYism going on here.

Welcome to Vancouver the Museum City of Canada.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I think there's a pretty heaping helping of NIMBYism going on here.

Wait, my post? Or am I being dumb?