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Vote for Florida – for Fido Casting Call in Vancouver
Please help vote for Florida – a mini Eskimo puppy from One Stop Shop Cards and Games Store in Vancouver
http://www.fidocastingcall.ca/dogs/4917
Click on the link
http://www.fidocastingcall.ca/dogs/4917 and help this wonderful puppy out!
You can also vote through Facebook!
Please Like Florida’s Fan Page on Facebook so we can get a dedicated Facebook url for her!
COPE Councilor Ellen Woodsworth at 2011 Gathering Place Homeless Connect event on Wed Oct 12 in Vancouver
Homeless Connect
Homeless Connect days are special events designed to give people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness access to a wide range of health and other support services all under one roof.
The City will be among other organizations province-wide that will host special events to provide free services for the homeless including: food, foot care, haircuts, hearing tests, pet care, street nurses, and bike repair. The events are also an opportunity to connect with service providers and gather information on employment, housing and health while in a welcoming atmosphere with food, music and other entertainment.
Gathering Place Connect
Wednesday, October 12 from 11 am to 2 pm
609 Helmcken Street
See more at
COPE Councilor Ellen Woodsworth speaking on COPE Housing Solutions for Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
COPE Councilor Ellen Woodsworth committed today to slow gentrification in the Downtown Eastside, a process that is pushing out local residents through unaffordable rent and rising food costs. In front of the controversial Pantages Theatre site, Woodsworth announced COPE’s plan to ensure property in the Downtown Eastside is devoted to affordable housing for the low-income community.
“The hundred block of Hastings is not a place for high end condos,” said Woodsworth. “The Downtown Eastside can count on COPE to make certain that housing developed in the neighbourhood provides for the current local residents.”
COPE committed to calling for a condominium development moratorium in the Downtown Eastside until sufficient low-income housing is in place. COPE will also strengthen the anti-conversion by-law by defining ‘affordability’ as being affordable to those on Government Assistance. This will ensure that residents of the area are not forced to leave their homes because of increasing rent.
“The Downtown Eastside community is well organised and they have set specific priorities for how the City plans their vital neighbourhood,” said Woodsworth. “COPE remains committed to listening to neighbourhoods, and this neighbouhood is speaking loud, and clear.”
Woodsworth highlighted the demands of local community groups, including the resident-based Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council, calling on the City of Vancouver to identify 10 locations to be designated as future sites for low-income housing. COPE also commits to providing greater security and safety for residents of Single Occupancy (SRO) hotels.
“Our city staff need more resources to help enforce standards of maintenance by-laws. This is crucial in order to protect our city’s most vulnerable from absentee or neglectful land owners,” added Woodsworth.
COPE also set a target of creating 1000 affordable housing units in Vancouver every year.
“Housing is a top priority for our city, and residents can count on COPE to create a Vancouver for everyone with safe, secure, affordable housing,” said Woodsworth.
While calling for a national housing strategy and for increased provincial support for affordable and supportive housing units, COPE wants the City to play a leadership role in making the creation of new housing a reality.
“We cannot let Stephen Harper or Christy Clark off the hook. Both provincial and federal governments must return to the housing table,” said Woodsworth. “Vancouver cannot wait though, and COPE councilors will work everyday to focus on how best to make Vancouver affordable for everyone.”
Chinese Freemasons and the PHS Community Services Society co-hosted the unveiling ceremony of a plaque to commemorate the 100 anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s visit to Vancouver as well as his stay at the Pennsylvania Hotel on Friday Oct 7, 2011
The Chinese Freemasons and the PHS Community Services Society co-hosted a ceremony to unveil a plaque to commemorate the 100 anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s visit to Vancouver and his stay at the Pennsylvania Hotel, originally named the Woods Hotel.
When: Oct 7th (Friday), 2011, 12:00 Noon
Where: Lobby of the Pennsylvania Hotel, 412 Carrall St., Vancouver, BC
Event: Unveiling of the plaque and a reception after.
Chinese Freemasons and the PHS Community Services Society co-host the unveiling ceremony of a plaque to commemorate the 100 anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s visit to Vancouver as well as his stay at the Pennsylvania Hotel in February 1911. This is also the 100 anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution, which ended thousands of years of monarchy rule in China and established the first republic in Asia.
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen led the Xinhai Revolution to victory in 1911, the same year he visited Vancouver and he is popularly considered the founding father of modern China.
Chuck Chang Executive (Vice Chairman Chinese Freemasons National Headquarters of Canada): “The Chinese Freemason mortgaged our buildings to help raised tens of thousands of dollars for the revolution. Many of our members also took part in direct action for the course, some sacrificing their lives for the revolution.”
Chuck Chang Executive (Vice Chairman Chinese Freemasons National Headquarters of Canada): “The Chinese Freemason covered the expenses of Dr. Sun’s visit in 1911. We also provided protection to make sure that Dr. Sun’s personal safety was not compromised. One hundred years later, we are still proud of our support to the revolution.”
Dr. Dan Small: “We are proud and honored that Pennsylvania Hotel, formerly known as the Woods Hotel and the Portland Hotel, is connected to such an significant event in human history; and that the Hotel hosted such an important person as Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, the founding father of modern China and the first president of China.”
Dr. Dan Small: “The core belief of the PHS Community Services Society is to support progressive social changes and to promote tolerance of people with diversity of lifestyle and ideas, whether or not such ideas are popular at the current time or not.”
Dr. Dan Small: “We treasure this special and historical link between Dr. Sun Yat-Sen and the Pennsylvania Hotel. We also treasure this special and historical link between the Chinese community and the PHS Community Services Society.”
BACKGROUNDER: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen played a key and leading role in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution that toppled the Qing Dynasty in China, ending monarchy rule that has lasted for thousands of years in the China and established the first republic in Asia.
The revolution commenced with an army uprising in the city of Wuchang in central China on Oct 10th, 1911.
In the same year, in 1911, believed from February 6th to the 18th, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen spent about two weeks in Vancouver. Dr. Sun was a guest of the Chinese Freemason and stayed at Woods Hotel, now the Pennsylvania Hotel, dodging assassination attempts from his adversaries while conducting an uprising in Southern China.
The Chinese Freemason hosted Dr. Sun’s visit in 1911 and help raise tens of thousands of dollars for the revolution, mortgaging their buildings to raise the crucial funds.
According to the recollection of the Chinese Freemason, they paid a total of $97.30 to settle Dr. Sun’s hotel bill, as well as $195.40 for Dr. Sun’s telegraph expenses.
One of the core operations of the PHS Community Services Society is providing housing accommodation to clients with special needs. And the first such housing projects for the PHS was the Portland Hotel, formerly called the Woods Hotel where Dr. Sun Yat-Sen stayed 100 years ago.
Below are videos of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen ‘s Plaque unveiling at Pennsylvania Hotel in Vancouver
AHA MEDIA recently had the great pleasure of witnessing the unveiling of a very special little piece of Vancouver’s amazing history.
In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen visited Vancouver to raise support for the revolution happening in China. He came to Vancouver and stayed in the Pennsylvania Hotel in our own DTES, welcomed warmly by the Chinese Freemasons society of Vancouver and protected by them as agents had followed him from China to Vancouver and were intent on stopping him.
100 years later, the Portland Hotel Society welcomed us all to the recently renovated Pennsylvania Hotel to witness the unveiling of a beautiful plaque commemorating the good Dr’s visit.
There were many representatives from the city of Vancouver including Councillor Kerry Jang, Councillor Ellen Woodsworth, Andrea Reimer and Sarah Blyth. MLA Jenny Kwan who gave a stirring speech in both English and Chinese to the crowd.
Members of the Chinese Freemasons, people from the Portland Hotel Society, as well as Chinese senior citizens from Chinatown were all present to see the grand unveiling of the plaque.
Afterwards, we adjourned to the Calabash Bistro to enjoy traditional Caribbean food and each other’s company on this momentous historic day!




















































































































































































































































































