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History of Strathcona

Map of Strathcona
Historic Homes in Strathcona

Vancouver’s oldest residential neighbourhood, Strathcona, is situated within the city’s Downtown Eastside bordered on the west by Chinatown’s Gore Ave., Clark Dr. on the east, the Burrard inlet waterfront on the north and the False Creek flats on the south. A small community developed following the establishment of the Hastings Mill at the foot of Dunlevy Street in 1865 (Strathcona Residents’ Association (SRA, 2010) as a small squatter population that would expand into housing in the 1880s, especially following the building of Lord Strathcona School in 1891 (SRA, 2010). From its beginning, the neighbourhood was incredibly mixed, "both in its housing and in its intimate connection to the industry and commerce of the port." (Heritage Vancouver Society, 2011) The area has remained an ethnically diverse working-class or lower-income residential neighbourhood, and has historically been a popular reception point for many new immigrants. The area has had a long connection with Vancouver's Japanese and Chinese Canadian community, as well as small European immigrant populations from countries such as Scandinavia, Italy, and England among others. The areas of Alexander and Jackson Street were inhabited by a predominantly Japanese population until expulsion in 1942, which has not returned in the same scale since. (Vancouver Heritage, 2011)

Strathcona boasts the largest concentration of 19th and 20th century Victorian and Edwardian buildings with 46% of the dwellings dating before 1946 (City of Vancouver Census data, 2001), which lend the area a particular aesthetic identity. Some of these buildings have been designated heritage, while others face issues of neglect. The area is also unique in that it developed into a residential neighbourhood prior to the city’s zoning laws towards the separation of residential and industrial sectors, thus the area encompasses both the residential and the industrial.

The Downtown Eastside is one of the poorest inner-city areas in Canada with the average household income in Strathcona sitting at the lowest in the city. The area struggles with issues of poverty, drug addiction, crime, homelessness, and mental and physical health.

Introducing the Issue

Defining Gentrification

A general description of gentrification is the renewal of older affordable housing into newer upscale housing within a city. Likewise it can also be described as "moving upward on the census tract" (Meligrana and Skaburskis, 2005). The common argument against this is that gentrification affects less wealthy residents as they are slowly pushed out by more expensive housing. In some cases gentrification also takes away from the historic culture of older housing as it gets replaced by newer and more commercialized developments. Both of these cases are relevant to gentrification in Strathcona.

Gentrification in Strathcona

In 1950, during the period of postwar reconstruction, the ‘Marsh Study’ was drafted arguing for urban renewal schemes that would eliminate ‘urban blight’ and dilapidation in the city with plans to bulldoze the Strathcona area in order to create modern social housing blocks and eventually a six lane freeway, a project that would run through the southern part of the neighbourhood. This plan arose during a period in which planners, architects and governmental bodies were lured by the modernist idea of reimagining the city, devising often a highly regulated and homogenous vision of space. (Ley, 2000) The development plans sought to "rationalize" the area, by clearing out "huge swaths of blighted urban areas in Chinatown and Strathcona... in an effort to increase capital circulation to and through Vancouver's adjacent central business district" that had little regard for the residents. The first phase of the development plan began with the construction of Maclean park and the Raymur-Campbell housing project bulldozing 30 acres of Strathcona and displacing a large percentage of the community. The development schemes were met with acute opposition leading to large organized protests and the creation of the Strathcona Property Owners and Tenants Association (SPOTA), which brought an end to the development. The tenants fought for historical preservation in the area and increases in health and social services. In 1971, in response to these protests, and "a general change in mood (particularly on the federal level) concerning urban renewal, the province passed zoning bylaws" designating the Pender Street area of Chinatown, the south of Strathcona and Gastown as heritage areas. (Mitchell, 2000) The city funded rehabilitation projects in the neighbourhood which were completed in 1974. (Kim and Lai 1982)


Our Purpose

The purpose of this page is to look at the elements of gentrification and how they affect the current local residents of Strathcona. Our research will reflect this by directing our focus on Strathcona residents and relating it to gentrification.

Factors Causing Gentrification

  • New immigration patterns where the east Asian immigrants are generally wealthier and are relocating directly to suburbs such as Richmond (Madokoro, 2011).
  • People are beginning to migrate from the suburbs back into the city as seen with many people of the younger generation. This increases housing and business demand and thus pushes the less wealthy locals out (Bunting et al. 2010).
  • Gentrification already began happening in 1960’s when poorer residents were pushed into the DTES during the post-war development period, and today it is only pushing the poorer locals even further (Newnham, 2005).
  • Transition to a post-industrial economy class has created a rise in white collar workers residing in the inner city, which leads to redevelopment of surrounding amenities (Ley and Dobson, 2008).
  • Pioneer group of artists living in the area for some time, putting money into their homes, setting the ground for a wave of middle-class professionals


Why it's Important

Why It's an Issue

Gentrification is a complex and dynamic process that often involves as Neil Smith stated the "class remake of the central urban landscape". It is a process of redevelopment that either brings in new forms of residential and commercial building or repurposes existing buildings which raise the property value of the area, and through this reposition the area's socio-cultural identity. Gentrification often takes place in stages, and its effect is far greater than simply the presence of new architecture. Without policy in place, the process of gentrification can greatly threaten the availability of affordable housing.

Development has reached nearby areas since the struggles of the 1950s and 1960s, which have variously affected the neighbourhood of Strathcona. The construction of the Georgia viaduct and the complete redevelopment of False Creek are two drastic changes to the region. An issue that continues to face the neighbourhood is gentrification, and the form and pace at which it proceeds. Each stage of development in nearby areas such as Chinatown or Gastown invites waves of potential gentrification. The historic housing stock and relative affordability of the area have attracted artists and writers for decades, however recently there has been an influx of higher-end boutique shops and restaurants drawing in new middle-class residents and development, shifting the socioeconomic status of the district. A 2005 City of Vancouver housing proposal (City of Vancouver, 2005) notes that already the affordability of Strathcona is greatly decreasing. The proposal puts forward a plan for Strathcona to become a “mixed-income community” (City of Vancouver, 2005) with parallel developments of market and social housing however the private development is working at a much greater speed as social housing has largely been left to the private sector. Gentrification poses the risk of drastically increasing the socioeconomic status of the area, escalating the housing costs and displacing the community forcing lower-income residents into areas which may not have the same amenities. To some degree, gentrification could also improve the living conditions for the residents and increase the availability of necessary services. Strathcona, for its residents, has a strong sense of identity due partially to its past, its affordability and historic housing stock, as well as its position as an intimate neighbourhood within the Downtown Eastside. There are a number of non-profit organization and services, community gardens and artist-run spaces that would be difficult to find elsewhere in the city.

Why It Needs Resolution

Gentrification in Strathcona generates numerous problems and issues that negatively affect the Greater Vancouver area as a whole. Vancouver is reputable as one of the most livable cities in the world, attracting many wealthy immigrants and a high number of tourists. One of the unique characteristics of Vancouver is the historic neighbourhoods within the inner city area such as Strathcona, where the visible effects of globalization such as big box stores, highways and large shopping malls are not present (Bunting et al. 2010). At the same time, the Downtown Eastside, where Strathcona lies, is also controversially one of the poorest postal codes with the most visible social problems such as drug abuse and diseases such as AIDS/HIV among the poorer residents (Newnham, 2005). Gentrification through urban renewal not only increases housing costs for these poorer residents, it also changes the market structure pushing out the local residents from the Strathcona neighbourhood. There are several reasons as to why gentrification can become a big problem to the Strathcona area and also many reasons as to why it should be regulated and controlled.

Displacement of Local Residents

If gentrification were to continue rapidly throughout the Strathcona area, local residents who cannot afford high cost housing would be pushed out onto the streets and into surrounding areas and quite possibly in a similar fashion to the displacement of the 1950's to 1960s. . The question of where these displaced residents would go is the greatest threat gentrification in the area poses. Many of the displaced would have to seek out affordable housing likely in areas with less social amenities and available transit, while others would face homelessness. This process could further increase the economic polarization within the inner-city. A greater economic polarisation of the city would lead to greater concentrations of poverty exasperating health issues and increasing the potential for crime. Socially, this could also decrease the reputability of Vancouver as a livable city and decrease its touristic charm.

Supply and Demand Issues

Another potential result of gentrification is the problem of supply and demand. Gentrification depends on the idea that there will be enough wealthy residents and businesses to move into the new developments. But this might not always be the case. Should the local residents of Strathcona be pushed out of their own homes, and should there be a lack of wealthier people to move into the new developments, an imbalance of supply and demand will happen. This means that there will be more expensive housing available than people actually moving in, creating a large supply of empty residences while more locals are on the streets with nowhere to go (Bunting et al. 2010). In this case, regulations should be placed upon speculative building specifically in low-income areas where housing is more precarious, this could potentially restrict some of the displacement that gentrification threatens.


Consideration for Existing Residents

The predominant risk gentrification poses is towards housing. The need to accommodate renters, and to maintain and improve upon the living conditions of current Strathcona residents are issues that will exacerbated. Gentrification creates more expensive housing, which is often filled by foreigners and wealthy immigrants. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it is unfair to market the housing industry around new residents without consideration for the existing residents of the area. Strathcona is a tightly knit community within Vancouver and gentrification could potentially lead to the creation of a highly touristic area with a lack of community (Brownie and Vaughan, 2005), which would slowly strip away Vancouver’s unique identity.

Who's Affected?

Ethnic Origin in Strathcona

Gentrification in Strathcona most directly affects the local residents of the Strathcona area, which are predominantly working class Chinese immigrants from around the mid 1900’s. Approximately 60% of the Strathcona residents are native Chinese speakers (Newnham, 2005).

Why and How?

One main problem that the local Chinese are affected by is the dwindling size of this group of residents. Over time, much of these earlier immigrants have moved out of the neighbourhood and new immigrants don’t move in (Lee, 2007). As a result the size of the local Chinese have decreased and their opinions are losing power among the urban developers and government. Likewise the fact that most of these residents, Chinese or not, are less wealthy and part of the working class make them seem less credible and less “important” among the “urban elites” thus becoming “marginalized” (Bunting et al. 2010).

Potential Solutions

Case Studies of Similar Areas

Grandview-Woodland

Vancouver Neighbourhoods

Grandview-Woodland is a neighbourhood which also borders the DTES. Strathcona is located south of the DTES and Grandview-Woodland borders east of the DTES. Similar to Strathcona, the Grandview-Woodland area is known to be culturally diverse (Ley and Dobson, 2008). In present day, the Grandview-Woodland area has been more developed than Strathcona and is a further stage of gentrification. Despite this, further development has not happened due its close proximity to the DTES which reduces the appeal of the area to new potential residents who are not used to problems in the DTES (Ley and Dobson, 2008).


Proposed Solution

From what we know, the amount of local residents in Strathcona have been decreasing over time while simultaneously we are also seeing new residents moving in (Strathcona BIA, 2006). Considering its proximity to the DTES, if gentrification were to completely take effect in Strathcona, there is a high possibility that it would have similar results to the Grandview-Woodland area where gentrification process has slowed down due to lack of interest. While housing prices are increasing in Strathcona and many new residents are moving in, it is difficult to determine how rapidly this process could happen or to what extent the interest in the area is.

The need for both historical preservation and housing rehabilitation in the area do pose financial issues however redevelopment can occur without becoming gentrification. A potential solution could be to repeat earlier resident-driven rehabilitation projects in Strathcona. Taking into consideration the lower-income tenants and the ever-decreasing Chinese population in the area, the city could contribute to renewal in the region by funding rehabilitation projects that allow residents to take active participation. This would be beneficial to the city because it would help preserve its historic and ethnic aesthetics and identity. What makes Strathcona unique is the culture that the residents have brought to the area, and it would only make sense to use the help of the residents to preserve this culture. And if we use the Grandview-Woodland area as an example, there is a high possibility that new residents might not be as keen on moving to the Strathcona area even if it were to be gentrified. So instead of immediate gentrification, working with the residents to develop the area would be a better solution, especially since the current residents are still prevalent in the Strathcona area. If gentrification were to happen in later years, it would come naturally with the decreasing of local resident population.

Another solution for resisting the negative impacts gentrification poses is to put policy in place that protects renters and ensures affordable housing. This could be done by introducing rent control on certain houses and apartment buildings, or by instigating energy programs for low-income housing to decrease the monthly costs particularly as older housing stock is more difficult to heat. Ensuring that the neighbourhood has a affordable grocery store, and other services is also important in reducing the possibility of economic displacement. The boutique food stores and cafes that are appearing in Strathcona are not affordable for many residents in the area and thus low-cost services need to be maintained and funded to allow the place to remain accessible to a range of people. If new housing is coming into the area, it should not exceed the rehabilitation of existing housing stock and affordable housing. The 2005 Housing Plan for Strathcona discusses the desire for a mixed community and a parallel development of market housing and social housing, however nothing is in place to ensure that happens. (City of Vancouver, 2005) A significant step towards regulating the effects of development on low-income neighbourhoods such as Strathcona would be for the government to become more involved, rather than largely leaving it to the market.

In conclusion, our solutions is not to stop gentrification completely, as this is almost inevitable as we see a increase in renewed interest in the inner city lifestyle. We wish to accommodate the local residents as much as possible while also wanting to preserve the historic and cultural elements in Strathcona since it has such significance to both the local community and to the culture of Vancouver at large.


Sources

Trudi Bunting et al., Canadian Cities in Transition: New Directions int eh Twenty-First Century 4th Edition (Ontario: Oxford University Press, 2010)

City of Vancouver (n.d.a.), Community Statistics census data: Strathcona (1996 and 2001). Available from <http://vancouver.ca/community_profiles/strathcona/documents/strathconademographics.pdf>

“City of Vancouver Housing Plan for the Downtown Eastside”, City of Vancouver, October 2005 <http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/housing-plan-for-the-downtown-eastside-2005.pdf>

"5. Strathcona - North of Hastings", 2011 Top Ten Endangered Sites, Heritage Society Vancouver, <http://www.heritagevancouver.org/topten/2011/topten2011_05.html>

Kim, Hyung-chan, and Nicholas Lai. "CHINESE COMMUNITY RESISTANCE TO URBAN RENEWAL: THE CASE OF STRATHCONA IN VANCOUVER, CANADA." The Journal of Ethnic Studies 10, no. 2 (1982): 67

Lee, Jo-Anne. "Gender, Ethnicity, and Hybrid Forms of Community-Based Urban Activism in Vancouver, 1957-1978: The Strathcona Story Revisited." Gender, Place & Culture 14.4 (2007): 381-407. Web.

Ley, David. “Alternative Explanations for Inner-City Gentrification: A Canadian Assessment”, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 76, No. 4 (Dec., 1986) pp. 521 - 535

Ley, David, and Cory Dobson. "Are There Limits to Gentrification? The Contexts of Impeded Gentrification in Vancouver." Urban Studies 45 (2008): 2471-2498.

Madokoro, Laura. "Chinatown and Monster Homes: The Splintered Chinese Diaspora in Vancouver." Urban History Review 39, no. 2 (2011): 17-24,56, http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/863468227?accountid=14656 (accessed May 31, 2013).

Meligranas, John, and Andrejs Skaburskis. "Extent, Location and Profiles of Continuing Gentrification in Canadian Metropolitan Areas, 1981-2001." Urban Studies 42 (2005): 1569.

Mitchell, Katheryne." Global Diasporas and Traditional Towns: Chinese Transnational Migration and the Redevelopment of Vancouver's Chinatown." Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review, Vol. 11, No. 2 (SPRING 2000), pp. 7-18, International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE)

Jodi Newnham, “An Overview of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside,” UBC Learning Exchange (2005): accessed May 30, 2013.

Smith, Neil. The New Urban Frontier: Gentrification and the Revanchist City. Routledge, London. 1996

Welcome to Strathcona, Strathcona Residents’ Association, Vancouver BC, Feb. 2011. <http://strathcona-residents.org/>

Vancouver Economic Commission, BizMap BC, Strathcona Business Improvement Association (BIA) Vancouver BC, 2006. <http://www.vancouvereconomic.com/userfiles/strathcona-neighbourhood.pdf>

Group Members

Lauren Rice, Sarah Chen