Downtown Eastside community members creating block stewardship program

Vancouver’s East Hastings Street is sprouting up new tents after advocates in the neighbourhood successfully pushed the city to stop street sweeps.

Now the people living there are finding a way to manage the growth themselves with a block stewardship program, where community members take point in keeping the sidewalk clear – clean and accessible.

The City of Vancouver says in a statement that staff are giving neighbourhood groups cleaning tools as they work to create the program.

Chris Waterhouse is one of many local volunteers helping out with the cleanup.

“We were cleaning up the garbage, and we’re trying to maintain a walkway to the public,” said Waterhouse. “I mean, because nobody knows us like us, right? Getting people who live down here to do it is a lot better. We have a rapport with everybody already.”

The city stopped doing street sweeps with the Vancouver Police on July 1. Before this, police and city workers would clear the street early every morning, leading to many people losing their belongings.

Eli Odasheiner, a community organizer with Stop the Sweeps Coalition, says the community is in a state of transition after the change.

“The community is trying to establish some structure in the neighbourhood,” they explained.

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Odasheiner says community members will start meeting at noon on Wednesdays at Pidgeon Park to talk about the future of East Hastings, and develop the new program.

They believe in the neighbourhood’s ability to maintain structure but community members are looking for patience as they figure it out.

Odasheiner says stopping the sweeps ending is not the only thing that has led to an increase in tenting.

“A lot of housing and SRO housing in the Downtown Eastside is very inadequate. The buildings get very, very hot in the summertime … and some of the pests and bugs intensify.”

Community members are continuing to fight for more toilets, storage lockers and a place to shower.

“People want different things, but basically they just want the right to be able to stay in place until that housing situation is looked after,” said Dave Hamm, Peer Community Outreach Administrator.

Hamm says he hopes the public gives the community time to work on the program.

“We’d love the public to give us a break and give us more time.”