A project began in 2006 to create a set of Land Use Development Principles for the Downtown Eastside to preserve and enhance the character, culture, art, and historical structures of the community. The tenth principle established for the project states that the provision of local arts and cultural programs, health, education and social services is integral to creating a healthy community for all residents.
Purpose
CACV is the sponsor of the Downtown Eastside Community Land Use Principles Project, an ambitious project related to the future of the Downtown Eastside as a community. The purpose of this project is to contribute to the renewal of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with and for the benefit of those who presently live and work in the area. It recognizes the Downtown Eastside as an area of historic and contemporary importance to Vancouver, composed of distinct neighbourhoods and communities of rich cultures and traditions.
The project is bringing community and business leaders together to discuss the design and form of buildings that reflect housing requirements, community amenities and support, and how neighbourhoods can be revitalized, – to prepare a “Blue Print for Sustainable Urban Development in the Downtown Eastside”
Background
Amidst all the development in Vancouver over the past 20 years homelessness and inner city decay have accelerated. The consequences of this atrophy is spilling out to all areas of the city. Vancouver cannot make a claim to achieving urban greatness until there is quality of life for all. The Community Arts Council believes there is a powerful connection between the arts and creating inclusion and giving voice. The Council’s believes the Downtown Eastside Community Arts Network and the land use project are integral for inner city renewal.
Contributors
The land use project has been convened by Milton Wong, philanthropist and former Chancellor of Simon Fraser University whose Harbour Centre campus borders the Downtown Eastside. Funding has been provided by the Real Estate Foundation of BC and the Vancouver Foundation.
Progress
To date the land use project has published:
A Background Brief on Homelessness and Affordable Low Income Housing-PDF was published in January 8th, 2007, to provide accessible, easily readable factual information about issues of housing and homelessness, summarize the existing plans and proposals to date, and provide examples of what other jurisdictions are doing. It included:
- Statistics on the state of affordable housing and homelessness
- An abstract of the City of Vancouver Homelessness Action Plan
and the Downtown Eastside Housing Plan
- A survey of comparative homelessness plans and affordable housing tools
from other municipalities
The State of Non-Market Housing in the Downtown Eastside – PDF prepared by Andrew Yan was subsequently published to report on the state of non-profit housing in the Downtown Eastside, including ownership and housing stock.
Building Community through Affordable Housing A Blueprint for Sustainable Urban Development in the Downtown Eastside, which recognizes that the Downtown Eastside is an area of historic and contemporary importance to Vancouver, composed of distinct neighbourhoods and communities of rich cultures and traditions, was published on September 21st, 2007.
Report
