Things for sale in Grandview Park (Charles Street and Commercial Drive) in Vancouver. The park's redevelopment, and the gentrification of the surrounding area, are drawing strong responses, both for and against.John Lehmann/ The Globe and Mail
After Erin Millar moved into her new Commercial Drive duplex, she awoke one morning to find that someone had sprayed black paint across her windows, siding, chimney, patio furniture and front door.
"A few months later, they returned and painted our garage doors," said Ms. Millar, who's lived in the duplex with her husband since 2008. In expletive-laden language, the message was clear: Yuppies should get out of East Van, "out of our lives!"
Commercial Drive is a traditionally working-class neighbourhood that has seen property prices soar and a wealthier middle class move in. New condos and duplexes have appeared, along with chain restaurants and an expensive wine bar. These developments have created a divide between community activists who welcome change and those who see it as a threat to the neighbourhood's diverse character. Added to the mix is a small, anonymous contingent that has decided that intimidation of new homeowners such as Ms. Millar is the answer.
Now, with the redevelopment of Grandview Park, a hangout for homeless people, the opposition has escalated. Last week, the Vancouver park board gave the go-ahead to begin work on the long-neglected park at Commercial Drive and William Street - an approximately $1.5-million renovation that will close the park until March, 2011, to construct new washrooms, better drainage, a water park and play area.
For some, it's not a renovation but a class war. "At what point do you go, 'I'm going to fight for this neighbourhood?' " asked Matt Hern, seated in a coffee shop on the drive.
Mr. Hern and his family have lived in a rental house in the area for 20 years. He is co-founder of the hugely popular Car-Free Vancouver Day and director of a youth arts and activism centre called the Purple Thistle. He calls the lengthy park closing an attempt at "social cleansing."
"We want vibrancy and diversity," he said. "Not everything is pretty, not everything is clean, not everything is safe. 'Safety' is code for, 'I don't like poor people in my face bringing down property values.' "
Increasingly, any development that threatens to cause gentrification is met with hostility. Ms. Millar's home sits on a lot that was once a popular community garden, and its redevelopment to make way for duplexes caused much controversy, making Ms. Millar a target. But Mr. Hern, who has a doctorate in urban studies and teaches courses at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, says newcomers should be sensitive to the neighbourhood.
"Of course I do not vandalize neighbours' homes, nor do I suggest it," Mr. Hern said. "People who move into a neighbourhood need to be really cognizant, thoughtful and disciplined about not displacing residents and gentrifying a community. And if they are going to contribute to people losing their homes, and being priced out of the community … then they need to be prepared to deal with consequences."
David Beattie, 51, is on welfare and visits the park daily. Because the board couldn't keep open a section of the park during the renovation, he has vowed to chain himself to machinery once work begins. He says he has no association with vandals, but isn't afraid of going to jail to fight what he perceives as wealthy people taking over Commercial Drive. "It's a total onslaught against us," he said. "This is part of a resistance."
Eileen Mosca, a commercial artist, sits on the Grandview-Woodland Community Policing Centre board, and is an outspoken proponent of redeveloping the park. Last month, she oversaw the painting of a mural on the dilapidated park field house. It was soon covered with graffiti, including the words, "Fuck Eileen Mosca."
"I'm not a rich person who's moved in to gentrify," Ms. Mosca said. "I've lived here for 30 years and I know tons of people who've lived here 30 years. … And they've been asking for decades that the city spend some money to clean up our parks."
Stephanie Maingot and John Flipse have long favoured redeveloping the park. The couple has publicly taken issue with litter, open drug use and alcohol consumption at the park, which is across the street from their house. In retaliation, someone anonymously circulated posters denouncing them as "yuppie prudes" who should get out. The posters included a picture of their child.
"I'm not opposed to people sleeping in the park. My concern is waking up in the morning and seeing someone urinating across the street from my house, or defecating," Mr. Flipse said.
Park board commissioner Constance Barnes said she was alerted to threats against Ms. Maingot. "It really makes you wonder, is this about the park? Or is this about rich people? The redevelopment is not about homeowners or non-homeowners or homeless people or any of that. It's about giving the community a better service. Period."
Special to The Globe and Mail