7.04.2009

Commercial Drive Car Free Festival
















































































We had a hop on Car Free Day June 14th, here are pictures taken by Rachel Marcuse. There's a rumour Commercial Car Free will be an ongoing project on Sundays in the summer...

6.03.2009

Little Mountain Housing


Wowie! Good turnout on Sunday. We had a great hop, albeit hot, at the Little Mountain Housing site. Nearly abandoned, save for two or three courageous holdouts still living in their apartments, this sad and tormented housing area was a site for veterans' housing in the 1950s and later a social housing tract governed by the province.

The sterile design is reminiscent of barracks. The architecture of the shed overpowers any sense of liveability. Despite this, people still called this place home - and for decades.

My vision has community gardens in between the buildings and main floor level retail and business co-ops on the edges. Little ateliers where social housing would dovetail with progressive skills and professional development models. Hiring out of the community and proceeds to be folded back into the neighbourhood.

Instead a developer bought the rights to build it up, with a market component and evicted residents. Now they are bankrupt and the public waits... There's a housing and homeless crisis in our city and Little Mountain is boarded up.

Hmmm.

5.27.2009

HOP: SUNDAY MAY 31st 1pm

First hop of the Season!!
Little Mountain Housing Site: meet at the corner of Quebec St @35th Ave

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Quebec+St+and+35th+Ave+Vancouver&sll=49.238701,-123.099382&sspn=0.007159,0.014849&ie=UTF8&ll=49.238771,-123.099875&spn=0.007159,0.014849&z=16

Anybody is welcome to join us in our exploration of the Little Mountain Housing site. Plans will be discussed at the beginning of the hop and we will most likely use simple improvisational tools/games to interact with each other and the site. You are welcome to document, join in or just watch.

questions?: behindopendoors@gmail.com

4.26.2009

JANE'S WALK 2009: Lot 26: Everything Began at Hastings

Join members of behind open doors arts collective in an exploration of the forgotten areas of Vancouver. With a keen attention to how Vancouver's stories are remembered, we'll explore the history of New Brighton Park. This park has a tumultuous history: once a Musqueam clam beach called Khanamoot, the land was sold for 50 bucks and dubbed "Hastings Townsite" -- where it became the leisure destination at the end of the stage coach road from New Westminster.

A trip to the Cannery Restaurant for tea will grant participants access to the restricted areas of the Vancouver Port. Those participants not interested in staying at the Cannery Restaurant can join co-hosts as they exit the surveillance area via the pedestrian overpass to Meditation Park at North Nanaimo and Wall Street.

Stay tuned for the walk info: http://www.thinkcity.ca/walksmay3

4.23.2009

Jane's Walk Research



Research bike and walk today -- Lori and Caelan in attendance, also one very big bottle of beer. We rode along Wall Street to New Brighton Park. We then locked the bikes and walked/trespassed into Prince Rupert Fishing Coop Cannery. The result was to find a good place to pee after a very big bottle of beer and a bird carcass. We then were then able to get into the Port itself, under the pretense of going to the Cannery Restaurant. It was still closed. They serve brunch on Saturday and Sundays from 10am-2pm however and the decor is like a pirates' lair.

Now, we thought a potential Jane's Walk could meet at New Brighton Park and walk down Wall Street to the pedestrian overpass (that now is locked) that would lead to the Port and do a little movement there. We could then adjourn in the little park above this bridge for a picnic. We could advertise this performance for 12 noon to 1pm. (Just a suggestion). We could also meet in the next week or so for some development.

4.19.2009

SUMMER 2009 HOP/EVENT SCHEDULE:

SUMMER 2009 HOP/EVENT SCHEDULE:

Jane's Walk:
Sunday May 3rd
11am-noon
Location TBA

Hop
Sunday May 31
1:00pm-2:30pm
Little Mountain Housing ghost site
Quebec St. @ 35th Ave

Hop
Sunday June 28
1:00pm-2:30pm
305 Alexander St @ Gore

Hop:
Sunday July 26
1:00pm-2:30pm
Location: Vancouver Public Library (by the stairs)

Hop:
Sunday August 23
1:00pm-2:30pm
Location: Beach Location TBA

Hop:
Sunday September 27
1:00pm-2:30pm
Location: TBA

2.17.2009

falling on the ground is not always a winter sport

Sunday February 22,
11am 305 Alexander Street@Gore
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=305+Alexander+St+Vancouver&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Here is a little background reading: http://fearlesscity.ca/news

Otherwise, there is no plan yet

LM