Memorial for Guy Johnson is to occur on Thursday January 8th, 10:30 Am at Oppenheimer Park Field House.

We know him to be a passionate and knowledgeable man  about DTES life. 

Our most outstanding memory of Guy was when he was a goalie for the Vancouver Dreamcatchers, our local homeless and street soccer team which pratices at Oppenheimer Park.

May he rest in peace.

AHA decided to walk around our area and see how our fellow citizens were doing in the heavy snowfall.

Below is a photo of Hendrik in front of a fantastic drop in centre for our community – Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House ( DTES NH )

Here is a side view of the DTES NH

A hand drawn Bumblebee’s eye view on the Olympic rings…” What a colour-blind bumble bee would see during an Olympic year”

While sitting and chatting with hungry people in the park enjoying their soup and bannock, we noticed music playing in the eating area.  Hidden behind a screen, the speaker was well protected from the elements . One man quipped ” That speaker is doing time”

Hendrik visiting the kind folks at the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement who give out bagged meals complete with desserts. They serve up to 450 people a day.

Even the seagulls crossed the street towards the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement’s free food lineup.  Where’s there food, there will be seagulls!

Cawing crows peering down on us on this wintry day.

Carnegie Centre sitting majestically at  Main and Hastings with heavy snow flurries falling.

So much snow fell, that it almost covered up a Vancouver Police Car.

We read with great interest and excitement that the great Mel Lehan, ( whom AHA Media met during some homeless rallies) will be running against Premier Gordon Campbell in the Vancouver-Point Grey riding!! 

AHA Media will sure go and support Mel during his campaign 🙂 Congrads to Mel for running! He is a tireless activist on many issues particularly homelessness. He is the man that brought Carnegie Centre’s Opera – “Condemned”  to Kerrisdale so that Westsiders could see the human aspect of life in the DTES. http://www.straight.com/article-97125/condemned

 ( The following article is reposted from Georgia Straight )

NDP candidate and community organizer Mel Lehan wants to be the giant killer in the 2009 B.C. election by defeating Premier Gordon Campbell in Vancouver-Point Grey. Charlie Smith photo.

NDP’s Mel Lehan will run against Premier Gordon Campbell in Vancouver-Point Grey

Kitsilano community organizer Mel Lehan has a far more modest goal: he merely wants to defeat the premier of the province, Gordon Campbell.

In an e-mail to his supporters, Lehan has stated that he will be acclaimed as the NDP candidate in Vancouver-Point Grey on Tuesday (January 6) at St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Avenue).

You can read Lehan’s e-mail below:

Hi Friends,

Happy New Year!!!  I hope that you have had a relaxing holiday with friends and family.

It’s going to be an exciting year for me.  I will be running as the NDP candidate in the upcoming provincial election this May against the Premier, Gordon Campbell.  I ran against him in the last election and came within 2250 votes of winning.   We are starting our campaign much earlier this time and feel confident that this will be a very close race.

I am unopposed in my bid to be the NDP candidate.  There will be a nomination meeting where I will be acclaimed next Tuesday, January 6 at St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Ave.) at 7:30 pm.

I am inviting you to come to this celebratory kickoff to my campaign. Besides my nomination, this evening will feature spectacular local Greek dancers in traditional costume and David Chudnovsky, Kensington MLA, talking about his report on homelessness.

I would love to see you there to help me to kick off my campaign to win back a riding where environmental, social and economic health will become the number one priority.

This is a celebration, and you do not have to be an NDP member or live in the riding to attend.  Having you there will be a gift to me.

I hope to see you next Tuesday.

All my best wishes,

Mel

Here is a video with a small firework display to usher in the New Year, courtesy of AHA reporter Peter Davies

Photo of the Heatley Block from Astoria Hotel window

Photo of the Astoria Hotel parking lot

Photo of Granville Street from Winner’s Store level

Photo of Granville street by Robson view, taken from Winner’s Store level

Photo of Bird’s eye View from Inside Corner of Winner’s Store at Granville and Robson