ProGastown: yes to an artsy, gritty, inclusive 'hood. no to a whitecaps soccer stadium of mammoth proportion.

A dark post about threats to someone who challenged the Whitecaps Stadium

progastown — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:36:12 +0000

Bruce lives on the same street as me — I’d say which, but the post below shows why I’m hesitant! Suffice it to say, we live in gastown. He, like me, is a gainfully employed uber-vancouverite: addicted to the outdoors, cyclist, and an all ’round great neighbour to have. He, like me, also shares a vision for gastown – a vision of hope, promise and inclusion.He is an expert in toxicology, and stopped city hall in its tracks (nearly literally) last summer when he pointed out the dangers of building a stadium above trains carrying highly dangerous goods. A pretty important consideration, I’d say.Here’s what he experienced from the folks behind one of the most vocal sites supporting the Stadium:

A segment of the most ardent Whitecaps fans are soccer hooligans. Members of the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Southsiders’ fan club have targeted me, and many others opposed to the stadium.The “Southsiders” are a group of Whitecaps fans that have season tickets at the south end of the soccer field – directly behind the goal. They pride themselves on the methods that they use to harass and intimidate the opposing teams goalies. Their actions go beyond the soccer field. Those taking part in the hooliganism are key members of the fan club, public supporters of the stadium and includes the founder of the most vocal pro-stadium website.This group of Whitecaps’ fans has attempted to track down my home and work addresses in order to kick in my teeth. After the fans nicknamed “Johnnie Monster” ( the same person who runs one of the most vocal prostadium groups), “Piltdownman” (a moderator on the fan website) and “Mortibal” (fan site administrator) posted my home address (luckily it was the wrong address) another Whitecap season ticket holder, nicknamed Guttergob, wrote“Bruce you’re a cunt and I’m gonna shit on your doorstep. Theses toxic waste for you fuckety fuck fuck. Fucking bum living shithole drug riddled shitbags. I wanna kick every cunt that lives in the downtown eastside in the teeth. Thanks for hearing me out. Kindest regards GG.”Neither the site administrator nor the forum moderator called Guttergob on his comments and actively supported this line of discussion.Furthermore, Whitecap’s fans have openly chatted on the Southsiders website forum who amongst their group would rape a known female opponent of the stadium because the “bitch” needs to be “shagged”. Poor and gay bashing are routine on the Southsiders website. Members of a second Whitecaps’ fan club called the “Blue and White Army” also post threats and hateful statements.The vitriolic nature of the threats and hate crossed the line and the Vancouver Police Department started to monitor the site. In response, the Southsiders altered the access to the site in order to prevent any further monitoring.The ultimate hypocrisy is that many of these individuals attend public events in order to represent the “community” face of the Vancouver Whitecaps – often at the Whitecaps booth.The Vancouver Whitecaps can claim neither ignorance nor innocence. The Whitecaps are fully aware of these clubs actions. On a number of occasions I have asked the Whitecaps to remove the teams official logo from the Southsiders website and to no longer provide a link to the Southsiders site. The Whitecaps have not done so and still refer to these fan clubs, and their members, as valuable assets.Why do these fans wish to have their stadium in our neighborhood if they hate us so much? Clearly from their posts the stadium is about erasing our community by taking away our waterfront and opening the way to high-end gentrification.

Are these comments typical of pro Whitecaps Stadium in gastown?

progastown — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 16:23:24 +0000

Just found a forum, discussing the Whitecaps Stadium, with the following content. And we think we have no reason to be concerned about the some of the (minority) aggressive members of the pro-stadium crowd who will be taking in a game … and beer…. a block or two west of here? Obviously, the vast, vast majority of soccer fans are wonderful human beings. But all it takes are a handful like these, and I’ll leave it to your imagination what could go wrong with a few beer in them, and an encounter with a homeless person. Contrast their vision of the area to that of those of us who live here, in this blog.

________________

Posted – 3/3/2006 2:58:15 AM

Frankly, I’m sick of Vancouver’s homeless. It is always the same people looking for a hand out, and not a hand up. You can have empathy for your fellow man all you want, but if he doesn’t want your help or wastes his life on drugs, then to hell with him. Life has consequences. But it has second chances. But they don’t take advantage of it, the just take advantage of the poor fools that give them hand outs.

Lebensaar

Posted – 3/3/2006 8:26:28 AM

As I’ve always said, they should build low-income housing spread GVRD (near transit) and re-develop the entire DTES. Tear down the bed-bug flophouses and build some more tall buildings, maybe a freeway connection. Definitely the stadium. That area is a wasteland – business is dying there. And why? For a bunch of junkies, who demand to live in the middle of one of the strongest real estate markets in N. America. They have no right to live there, they have a right to live somewhere, but why should it be there? Spread them o

mr black

Posted – 3/3/2006 9:26:34 AM

“the people there have needs that are not being looked after by the liberal gov’t and they are dying as a result“not fast enough asswipe.**** off and go to the bleeding heart, no personal responsiblity, “it’s everybody’s else fault, not mine” loser forum. nobody here gives a shti about the human garbage in the scumbag neighbourhood you’re talkin’ about.

STFU

Posted – 3/3/2006 9:32:00 AM

^^^ Right on, Mr. Black.

regis

Posted – 3/4/2006 12:38:13 PM

Too bad what people want in the DTES doesn’t matter. Luckily Vancouver finally voted in a council that realizes addicts and welfare bums don’t rule the world. The stadium will go ahead.

oujustneverknow

Posted – 3/4/2006 12:54:12 PM

yeah like give me a break !
i’m so sick of hearing about drug addicts and people who don’t give a shti about themselves or anyone around them !
they just want to steal what i’ve got so they can snort it or shoot it or smoke it !get lost all of you
time for the hardworking taxpaying people to have some fun, and this stadium will be part of that fun!i’m sick to absolute death of that hastings hole !
blow it u

S. says: ditch the Whitecaps stadium. Plant something public instead, for everyone, forever.

progastown — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 15:43:50 +0000

S., a Cdn actor and neighbour, says this:

To say that it’s less than ideal to build a stadium on the waterfront by Crab Park is taking understatment to a level of unacceptability. which defies description.

Vancouver is now in the throes of massive rezoning which threatens to destroy many old neighbourhoods for the sake of developer profits. The Vancouver City Council, which apparently has no plan for one of Canada’s most beautiful waterfronts, could redeem its civic reputation which is currently in the garbage by refusing to give in to a developer’s plan to build a soccer stadium on land which is not only public, but precious.

A soccer stadium will provide entertainment for a minute part of the city’s population while at the same providing sleepless nights for the people who call that part of Gastown, home. Since there are no plans to add green areas, parks, pools or community centres in the current rezoning plans, let’s ditch the Whitecaps Stadium and plant something public right there on the waterfront.

For everybody, forever.

We could build a stadium in gastown. or we could each do something like this.

progastown — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 05:59:15 +0000

I wish I’d done this … (I have no idea who this is. Found the clip via ‘Mondonation’)

Virginia thinks a picture is worth 1000 words. We agree.

progastown — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:09:43 +0000

Virginia lives in gastown, and was the former fashion/beauty reporter for the Vancouver Sun, and now a freelancer.. No wonder she believes a picture is worth 1,000 words, and chose to contribute her photos, rather than her words. Now if you were Peter Ladner, would you be voting to plonk a coliseum or a gm place-sized stadium on this? Nah, we didn’t think so either. We know he loves biking and sports, but plonking a huge building here? sheesh!

Gretha asks: would we put a soccer stadium on English Bay? Then why gastown?

progastown — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:28:01 +0000

My name is Gretha Warren and I work in the office of St. James Anglican Church, (a Heritage Building) corner of Cordova and Gore. I moved from West Point Grey to be near my office. And I can walk to Crab Park with dozens of others who have no access to the waterfront and the beauty of the inlet. You can sit on the grass, watch the sun set, see the waves lap the shore, peaceful even if the railcars are shunting behind you, or if the ships are blasting, it’s only for a few minutes. You can see the mountains in all their shades of purple. There is no other park anywhere near where you can do this. You can find green waterfront parks in English Bay, Kits, Jericho, Spanish Banks, and no one is threatening to build a stadium there!, they wouldn’t dare! This gastown area has charm and great potential. If you put a stadium here you couldn’t promote Gastown’s heritage charm anymore and you will have gridlock with cars. Please, surely there is a wide open space somewhere in Delta with a possible freeway to handle the traffic. People (that I know, from San Francisco and San Diego) are amazed at what we have. Give consideration to this area of Vancouver.

Patricia on the illusory distinctions between citizens, most painfully drawn in gastown/dtes

progastown — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:58:29 +0000

I live on Alexander Street between Main and Columbia; the city
considers the block the Downtown Eastside and the developers consider
it Gastown. In this city there are imaginary lines making distinctions
on how we treat citizens in these neighbourhoods. I don’t know that I
like either.

The City of Vancouver wants to overwhelm Gastown with even more bars
stools that would accompany another downtown stadium. In spite of
being a soccer fan, Vancouver does not need another stadium in the
downtown core.

And as for the Downtown Eastside, Malcolm Lowry says it better than I could.:

Christ Walks in This Infernal District Too
Malcolm Lowry
1946; 1950
Beneath the Malebolge lies Hastings Street,
The province of the pimp upon his beat,
Where each in his little world of drugs or crime
Drifts hopelessly, or hopeful, begs a dime
Wherewith to purchase half a pint of piss
Although he will be cheated, even in this.
I hope, although I doubt it, God knows
This place where chances blossom like the rose,
For on each face is such a hard despair
That nothing like a grief finds entrance there.
And on this scene from all excuse exempt
The mountains gaze in absolute contempt.
Yet this, yet this is Canada, my friend
Yours to absolve of ruin, or make an end.

–
Patricia M. BA, MEd, CHRP

Vancouver Heritage Commission says “Stadium in Gastown would be detrimental”

progastown — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 03:36:40 +0000

OK, OK, so it’s not precisely ‘our’ voices. But this represents voices, the expert ones actually, who we, via city hall, have selected to make informed comments on various urban design choices regarding heritage. I found this document

of the Vancouver Heritage Commission which concludes…

the stadium … is in fact detrimental in its urban design relationship to the heritage values of the neighbouring urban fabric and the historic connection to the waterfront.

Only Susan Antonson differed.

Similarly, JJ Lee (CBC Radio 1, Georgia Straight columnist on design in Vancouver) had some insightful comments, albeit back in April 2006, when the issue was just heating up.

Dee: imagine a green waterfront accessible to all, along the working port

progastown — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 05:56:29 +0000

Bruce lives on Alexander Street. An instructor at Langara, he’s a classic vancouverite: into nature, a cyclist, and a friendly neighbour. On the Friends of Crab Park blog (see blogroll to the right) he writes:

Oops – pardon me! I quoted the wrong person above. This is from Dee, who does indeed live on Alexander street… for over 18 years As a community health nurse she understands how vital public green space is to a neigbourhood!

Why is Vancouver the great city that it is? The answer is a beautiful natural environment and good planning. Vancouver is considered to be a leading visionary city. Open public spaces and waterfront are the gems of Vancouver.

It is now standard practice for cities around the world to create comprehensive master plans for the various regions within a city. These plans ensure public space is preserved and true community amenities are created.

As the building boom spreads across Vancouver we have one last chance to preserve public waterfront. Imagine a green waterfront – a refuge from the small rooms and large buildings resulting from ecodensity.

So, why no master plan for the Central Waterfront?

When the entertainment complex was to be built over the rail yard it was argued by some councillors that it would not effect the waterfront directly – therefore a plan was not needed. At that time City staff did strongly suggest a master plan was required.

Now that the stadium is proposed to be built directly on the public waterfront why is there still no master plan?

The only folks who can answer that question are City Council. Email them and ask. mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

List of businesses that supported the stadium, then left gastown

progastown — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 03:55:29 +0000

OK, this is mostly just in fun. We know how hard it is to keep websites up to date. But still… thought it would be fun to keep the Stadium Now folks honest, and keep an ongoing list of businesses on their website that supposedly support the stadium … but no longer exist!

Habano Cigar Company
Jewel of India (I knew Sammy the owner. I remain unconvinced that he said yes to the stadium)
Rossinis
Interactive Cafe
Signal Systems (ok, technically they’re not out of business. BUT TECHNICALLY THEY DON’T DO BUSINESS IN GASTOWN! Hello?? Cornett Road? Time for some Vancouver Geography 101. Saying they’re a gastown business is a stretch even for the geographically challenged)
Infotech. See same comment as #5. Since when is Yaletown, Gastown?