HN News Special Edition - Howe Street Shutdown
2009.09.02 - 4:01 PM
The Rain City Howe Street shelter was shut down on August 5th, 2009.
Originally, five shelters were opened by the city of Vancouver to contend with the harsh winter that hit last winter.
The Granville Street and Howe shelters became contentious as they were the only two that were not situated on the downtown east side. False Creek area residents' became incensed by their proximity and started to wage a very public war with the city and residents to have them both removed.
They were.
Granville was the first to go and Howe was the last one to close.
This is the story about the last stand of the Howe Street Shelter.
This goes out to the residents and staff that fought bravely to keep it open...
Great job everyone!
great work, but i miss shadow's cardboard box a little.
really glad this episode was focused on the HEAT shelters.
special thanks to everyone who allowed us to interview them for this piece.
looking forward to the next installment.
Great job crew...thanks for all those that had a part and all the great interviews from a wonderful list of people.cheers..JH
Hey All Great Job in making this focus all around the heat shelters. It was awesome to be apart of the filming process and to hear stories of what these shelters meant to all you people. It make want to advocate even harder for all you great and awesome human beings. Thanks for this great outlook into what these shelters meant to us.
TC
Whoooooooooooooooooo..........I am in this one hell yeah.......
Hi there, umm ok governments don't really care about the poor or the upper poor or middle class nether. That fact is it really is run by the Elites. The super powers. Government our puppets nothing more fact. But anyway. I give props for those who could make it on the streets. I know it is hard. But quote 2pac "Keep Ya Head up" and look forward to the future you guys will make it through.
What i don't understand is the homeless people that have been on the streets for 15 20 years. First of all you must stop doing drugs like hardcore drugs weed is ok :P That way it be easy to focus on jobs education whatever. I mean i went out to Vancouver, with 500 bucks. I paid 90 dollars at the Grand Trunk Hostel. For a week. I then right away looked for employment, There is 100s of Temp Agencies that you will 99% get a job right away. It's not a lot but i worked very hard everyday for that bs 9 dollars an hour. And kept paying by weekly rate at the Grand Trunk Back Pakers hostle.
SO i was making roughly around 340 a week. Then saved it and got a place with 2 friends that were from Austrailia. 3 bedroom apartment on oak and 23rd just north of broadway.
Then countined to work at those agency for almost a year. Then went back on to Toronto. So if all goes bad for you people go to the Temp Agencies it's money and you can live and not on the streets. Plus You don't have to be the smartest person in the world. Most of it is just warehouse and factory work. Plus many other types.
In Toronto i was on the streets for awhile. Only because i was an idiot leaving home. But that's my fault nobody elses. But i just said fuck it got a room and started working at the temps here as well. I started working on a back of a Garbage Truck 10 bucks an hour 10 to 13 hours a day lol. But i got strong haha. Not the best type of work. But they always need people like crazy just go to Help Unlimited at Jarvis and dundas. www.helpunlimited.ca
If in Vancouver i worked at Labour Unlimited at marine and cambie. I always got work every single day.
Now if you really want to start something bigger. Check out the Sea Farers International Union. My friend got me a unionized job there. You don't need highschool diaploma. You work on The Great lakes. You work on there 2 3 months at a time. You don't spend a dime you get fed huge and great food on there. Not to mention you start out at around 19:50 an hour. Easy work just deckhand.
They are looking for people bunch of new ships being made. This is a good job for life. You can make 27 000 in 3 months then you off for few months plus get pogy check which will be the max at 400 a week. So any young people that would like to give it a go. Because a lot of street kids are smart as hell too.
If a bunch of Newfies can do it :D JK i love NEWFIES all my friends are From Newfound land . So i sugest you just work at a temp until you get enough EI hours then they will pay for your course to get on the boat. Just a marine safty course it's only 1 week in port Colborne Ontario.
Just need that to work on those boats. everybody and there sister has past these courses. it's easy as hell mostly physical not much of tests or exames. Then regirster at the union hall in Throld Ontaro. So thats all i am going to say. Sorry this was so long hahaha Hope it might Spark somebody to give it a go.
CHeers. Temp Agencies www.Helpunlimited.ca Toronto
www.labourunlimited.ca vancouver
ifmation on union www.seafarers.ca
http://www.georgianc.on.ca/news/campuses/owensound/georgians-marine-emergency-training-centre-celebrates-20-years
Anyways good luck folks
I am glad to see that the news did some great work on this. There is so much that we can learn from this for the future. keep up the good work. zoloft lawsuit