The three leading mayoral candidates in Vancouver all agree that the solution to the "East Side problem" is to implement the four pillars plan: prevention, treatment, enforcement and harm reduction. Something I find interesting is that the first step in implementing this plan involves a redesign (pdf link) of the Main & Hastings area.
For those not familiar, Vancouver's East Side is basically the drug capital of Canada (if not North America), with amazingly high rates of AIDS, HIV+ status, Hepatitis, etc.; Main & Hastings is the centre of the drug trade within the East Side. It would be amazing (or, to be more precise, I would be amazed) if a redesign significantly contributed to altering the community dynamic.
Currently listening to: Wilco - I'm the man who loves you.
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