Stretch known for illicit drug use is being revamped with murals that empower residents and memorialize victims of the fentanyl crisis
Graffiti artist Smokey D poses for a photo in front of a mural he is contributing to in downtown Vancouver, on April 1, 2019.In a back alley in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, street artist Ken Foster spray-paints long black lines on a steel garage door, the first strokes in what will ultimately become one of the moody, alleyway paintings that have become the artist’s signature.
It is an unsavoury stretch for many. It is located behind a supervised drug-use site and the DTES street market, littered with garbage that never seems to entirely make it into the alley’s seven dumpsters. The odd rat scurries around. It doesn’t smell great. “We thought, why can’t we have our alley looking beautiful too? There are people here every day, it’s a place where they feel comfortable and there is a community here.”
“We’re really happy to add that bureaucratic support so the organizations can stick to working with the communities that they support,” Mr. Sinclair said.Rafal Gerszak/For The Globe and Mail A few of the pieces currently up are permanent; a few will be painted over in coming weeks. The artists have each been assigned a section and are free to paint what they please.
Mr. Foster, an enigmatic presence whose distinct take on Vancouver’s streets and alleys have made him the subject of coffee table books and documentaries, says he’s still figuring his piece out.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Globe editorial: One small step for the King Street streetcar, one giant leap for TorontoLast week, city bureaucrats recommended that Toronto Council make it permanent, essentially creating a kind of instant, low-budget surface subway through the centre of town
Read more »
Sunday night shoppers battle over upscale condo on Toronto’s Yonge StreetWhen this two-bedroom corner suite came on the market roughly 20 buyers spent part of their Family Day long weekend touring it.
Read more »
CBC’s Street Legal reboot cancelled after just six episodesCBC announced over the weekend it has decided not to continue the series beyond six episodes
Read more »
Posthaste April 12: Blockbuster energy deal, Wall Street beats and Ontario’s business-friendly budgetStuff you need to know today
Read more »
Asian stocks climb following lacklustre day on Wall StreetInvestors watch for Chinese trade data due out Friday
Read more »
U.S. stocks ‘fear gauge’ at 6-month low as Wall Street eyes new highsU.S. stocks ‘fear gauge’ at 6-month low as Wall Street eyes new highs GlobeInvestor
Read more »
Crews battle large fire in Ottawa's iconic Byward MarketOttawa Fire fighters battle a three-alarm blaze on William Street in the Byward Market.
Read more »
Disney hits record on streaming plans; Netflix slipsDisney hits record on streaming plans; Netflix slips GlobeInvestor
Read more »