Blog

As summer begins to wind down, I’d like to update you on some important issues in Hastings Crossing. There have been rising reports of safety and security incidents in the area over the past weeks. It can be difficult to know how to respond to these incidents, and to understand the responsibilities of police and the City of Vancouver.At times, you may face a non-emergency situation that still limits your ability to carry out your operations. If you’d like support de-escalating a situation, HxBIA has a contract with Mission Possible Neighbours that allows any member to call for a response. You can reach an MP Neighbours supervisor at 604-338-7150. In emergency situations, please call 911. I have requested that a

Our additional cleaning service through United We Can continues to run in the western end of the BIA between Cambie and Richards along Pender and Hastings (including alleys). Last summer, we coordinated with the City on an additional MP Neighbours shift in the afternoons/evenings around the street market. We received the good news that this additional support has been extended for the full year 2021. And of course we maintain our regular contract with MP Neighbours throughout the BIA, and they are able to respond to safety concerns that you may have (604-338-7150 or jhockley@mission-possible.ca). Please direct any emergency calls to 911, of course.

We have recently welcomed Clean Start BC to Hastings Crossing. Clean Start is a social enterprise providing employment to people with barriers. One of their services is specifically targeted at preventing the spread of Covid-19; more information is available on their website.

While the BIA has been relatively quiet on social media while we focused on Covid and renewal in 2020, we understand the value of our reach on these channels. We will be making much more targeted and frequent use of our website and our Instagram and Twitter accounts. One way we aim to highlight some of the organizations and people in our BIA is through short articles we can share with our followers. If you are interested in having the BIA share a story on your organization, please contact me directly.

Our neighbourhood is not looking its best these days and after adding more cleaning support, I’m now working on two more initiatives to improve sanitary conditions. And as we look forward to the holiday period, I’m exploring an opportunity with Atira and the City of Vancouver to help local organizations brighten up the neighbourhood with holiday lights.   We would love to make it easy for you to plan, buy, and install a light display in your windows. To this end, we plan to make funding available to offset the cost of lights and will offer design and installation services at no cost. Please contact me as soon as possible if this is something you may be interested in!

As we move through the summer and into the fall of an eventful 2020, HxBIA continues to engage on priorities for the Downtown Eastside. Beyond Covid-related supports such as rent relief and property tax reduction, I have heard from many of you that the levels of garbage and other waste have become a serious barrier to operating in the neighbourhood. The BIA has been working with other DTES organizations and the City of Vancouver to improve conditions and I will have an update on a new cleaning initiative soon. We are also developing our strategic plan to cover the BIA’s next five years. Member input is critical to this plan to ensure we reflect your priorities, concerns, and vision for

From the article: “What many critics fail to realize or admit is that the DTES is a community. Despite being in the vise-grip of a deadly health crisis, this is a neighbourhood where people know and look out for each other, and it is one in desperate need of normalizing, beyond government agencies. “What is happening in the DTES is mental health colliding with drugs,” summarizes Snelgar. “On whether this should stop people visiting the area, no, that would only hasten its decline, and in my opinion we need to continue to work to uplift the area and, more importantly, the individuals.” Our DTES needs Vancouverites to care for it by frequenting it. By being there. By walking its streets.

In response to the increasing challenges of street activity and litter faced by businesses within the district, HxBIA has teamed up with Mission Possible to launch a new service for HxBIA business members. This service, free to members, gives you the ability to request support for removal of litter and drug paraphernalia from your storefront and alley space on an as-needed basis. HxBIA’s MP Neighbour teams will now have access to the equipment required to respond directly and quickly to  businesses as needs arise. Simply email SERVICE@HXBIA.COM or call either the BIA office at 604.789.2186 or MP Neighbours at 604.253.4469 Ext. 152 to arrange for assistance. This service is available starting August 15th Monday – Friday, 9AM to 3:30PM. This service is an expansion to our MP Neighbours service. As

Vancouverites will be able to soak in a movie under the stars for free in Victory Square Park on Sunday, July 14 at sunset.Presented by the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association, the event will mark the first time that a movie is shown outdoors in Victory Square Park.  ​Guests will be able to view the classic comedy, The Truman Show, starring Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, an insurance salesman discovers his whole life is actually a reality TV show. “We are thrilled to be putting this free event on for our community.”, says HxBIA Executive Director, Brennan Fitzgerald.“We see these types of events in other parts of the city and are glad to be bringing this to the Downtown Eastside for