“Can you help us?”
In the two months since I’ve been part of the Coast Reporter team, we’ve received numerous emails and phone calls from residents concerned, not only about a rise in thefts and break and enter cases, but increasingly, for their personal safety. These residents say their complaints to authorities seem to be falling on deaf ears, so the newspaper was their last resort.
I was always taught, and firmly believe, it’s the job of a community newspaper to listen to and serve its residents, so I volunteered to tackle the issue. Initially, it was going to be one story, then it morphed into a three-part series, but now I’m think it might have to be four, in order to give everyone involved a proper voice.
Understandably, many residents don’t want their names used, so I’ve included just a handful of concerned citizens to start.
I also visited the “tent city” on Hightide Street, have spoken to the RCMP, reached out to the district and have a list of at least five more interviews to still complete, which I hope will help me round out these issues.
Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside has become an example of what not to do when it comes to tackling the issues around affordable housing, the lack of mental health services, and the ongoing deadly toxic drug crisis, which is killing people daily.
Resources are key, but buck passing has become an art among some politicians. It’s an election year, so hopefully promises will be made -- and kept.
The last story in this series is dedicated to possible solutions, so if you have any ideas, please get in touch.
