Hastings Street's misery stuns and frightens Irish visitors
(A letter published in The Province, 4/5/2009)...
" I recently visited Vancouver with my wife and two-year-old son from Ireland and, while we found the hospitality welcoming, we were shocked at what we saw.
Having wandered (as tourists do) into Chinatown, we ended up by accident on Hastings Street. The site of scores of shuffling homeless, vacant and rambling mentally ill and drug addicts reminded me of a scene from a George A. Romero zombie film.
My wife was immediately fearful and we fled the area.
For a city boasting the Winter Olympics, might I suggest that you take a few million out of the kitty and use it to assist these poor unfortunates? I have lived and worked in India and South Africa, so the sight of human misery is not new to me.
Unfortunately, this is the lasting image I end up discussing with friends and colleagues here in Ireland when they ask me about Vancouver.
Owen Lydon, Spiddal, Ireland "
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(A letter published in The Province, 4/5/2009)...
" I recently visited Vancouver with my wife and two-year-old son from Ireland and, while we found the hospitality welcoming, we were shocked at what we saw.
Having wandered (as tourists do) into Chinatown, we ended up by accident on Hastings Street. The site of scores of shuffling homeless, vacant and rambling mentally ill and drug addicts reminded me of a scene from a George A. Romero zombie film.
My wife was immediately fearful and we fled the area.
For a city boasting the Winter Olympics, might I suggest that you take a few million out of the kitty and use it to assist these poor unfortunates? I have lived and worked in India and South Africa, so the sight of human misery is not new to me.
Unfortunately, this is the lasting image I end up discussing with friends and colleagues here in Ireland when they ask me about Vancouver.
Owen Lydon, Spiddal, Ireland "
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BC'er disgusted with Vancouver's drug liberalism
(A letter published in Vancouver Sun, 3/30/2009)...
"On a recent Saturday night, I once again took the thought-altering drive through the Main and Hastings area of Vancouver. If anything, the situation looked worse than ever.
Last September, I took my second trip to New York City, the first being 40 years ago. In 1968, I couldn't believe what I saw -- street begging, bars on windows, people sleeping in doorways. Although that city has been cleaned up, Vancouver has now become what New York City was.
On my recent visit to Manhattan, tables were set up at various corners, with a vested attendant and a 40-litre plastic water jug for donations to the needy and homeless; those were the only places where passersby were encouraged to give money. Seattle's Pioneer Square had a booth for the same purpose the last time I was in that area.
The police presence (on foot) in New York was remarkable, frequent, friendly and effective. You could often see the squad captains talking to the officers, then dispersing patrols from the Times Square subway station. I felt safe on the subways I feared to ride in 1968. I went out alone (a 59-year- old woman) a few times in the evenings and felt perfectly safe. I would never do that in most downtown areas of Vancouver.
Little more than 10 months remain until our guests arrive for the 2010 Winter Olympics. It serves us not at all to pay later for what we don't do now, in human costs above all. Every one of us has a responsibility to help.
Don't let Main and Hastings as it is today be the memory that Olympics visitors take away.
Eileen Robinson, Pitt Meadows "
"On a recent Saturday night, I once again took the thought-altering drive through the Main and Hastings area of Vancouver. If anything, the situation looked worse than ever.
Last September, I took my second trip to New York City, the first being 40 years ago. In 1968, I couldn't believe what I saw -- street begging, bars on windows, people sleeping in doorways. Although that city has been cleaned up, Vancouver has now become what New York City was.
On my recent visit to Manhattan, tables were set up at various corners, with a vested attendant and a 40-litre plastic water jug for donations to the needy and homeless; those were the only places where passersby were encouraged to give money. Seattle's Pioneer Square had a booth for the same purpose the last time I was in that area.
The police presence (on foot) in New York was remarkable, frequent, friendly and effective. You could often see the squad captains talking to the officers, then dispersing patrols from the Times Square subway station. I felt safe on the subways I feared to ride in 1968. I went out alone (a 59-year- old woman) a few times in the evenings and felt perfectly safe. I would never do that in most downtown areas of Vancouver.
Little more than 10 months remain until our guests arrive for the 2010 Winter Olympics. It serves us not at all to pay later for what we don't do now, in human costs above all. Every one of us has a responsibility to help.
Don't let Main and Hastings as it is today be the memory that Olympics visitors take away.
Eileen Robinson, Pitt Meadows "
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