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DTES Street Market at Pigeon Park in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES) on Sun Dec 15, 2013
Sunday Dec 15, 2013
Roland Clarke, Coordinator of the DTES Street Market says:
This was the 184th Street Market at Pigeon Park on Sunday!
Our 200th market day at Pigeon Park on Sunday will take place on April 6th – This will be a day of celebration for the Downtown Eastside. We plan to invite City Councillors, dignitaries, and anyone that wants to celebrate with the people of the DTES.
Despite threats of rain, it was rain free for the entire day. A moderate December day, with low wind,
The vendors were very well behaved this Sunday. We had no issues keeping the east side of Carrall clear, or the Church, or keeping order in most of the park. Clean up went well, we had the usual 1/2 tonne of garbage at the end of the day, and the volunteers did a stellar job as always.
The tent crew is now so practised and professional that they are finishing the tear down of the tents in less than 15 minutes. That means that with a little more pay we could handle twice as many tents with ease.
I can’t wait for this Summer…
Yukon Dan
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We had a special guest at the market this weekend, Yukon Dan. Dan gives demonstrations all around the province to children and community groups on how to pan for gold. He came and gave away several hundred dollars worth of gold to customers at the market this Sunday.
Cambridge House
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John Baldwin from the Cambridge house came down to Pigeon Park this Sunday. They initially wanted to give away free Chili, but I told them that this was not our model at the Street Market. There is so much begging culture in the Downtown Eastside, and we don’t need more of it. It destroys the people’s self esteem, it provides no employment and it lowers the value of people and things. What we want is pride, and economic activity.
They took my advice and decided to sell the bowls of Chilli for $0.50 a bowl. If someone did not have the money, then they would offer the bowl for free. This way, us Downtown Eastsiders would get a sense of pride and buy our own lunch with the money that we earn for ourselves at the Street Market. This is the economic engine that we want to encourage. This is called uplift, and it is almost entirely absent from the charity models that our applied to our neighbourhood.
The Cambridge House promised to donate whatever money that they made at The Market to the market fund. This way, the right economic choices are encouraged in our neighbourhood.
Thank you to the Cambridge House for coming to our market!
Pigeon Park Street Market by the DTES Street Market Society – Sun Dec 1, 2013
Roland Clarke, Coordinator says:
182 Sunday Markets at Pigeon Park!
Surprisingly sunny despite reports of rain! To me, anyway, this is clear proof that the gods of weather surely shine on our little market here in the DTES.I did a little calculation earlier today, and figured out that this market, on December 1, 2013 is actually the 182nd consecutive market held at Pigeon Park on Sunday for the past 3 and half years. 182 markets is nothing to sniff at. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication at the hands of the volunteers and the coordinators.
Here is how I did the calculation:
1) The first Sunday market at Pigeon Park was held on June 13, 2010
2) 29 market days were held in 2010, 52 in 2011, 53 in 2012
3) December 1 is the 48th market held on Sunday in 2013
This gives a total of 182 Sundays where there was a market held at Pigeon Park by the DNC or the DTES Street Market Society.Our 200th market day will take place on April 6th (close to my birthday), and I am proposing a large celebration for this event. We should invite the mayor, councilors and dignitaries from all over Vancouver. Lots of time to plan…
Loss of a Loved Volunteer – Steve Beharriel
On November 20th, 2013 we lost one of our volunteers at the Street Market. Steve Beharriel was an RPIC (Responsible Person In Charge), and our Sergeant-At-Arms for the board of our Society. He had never missed a meeting for as long as people could remember, until he missed the Saturday meeting after welfare day. Later, on Sunday, we found out that the coroner had been to his room the day after welfare and taken him away. I can say that he was always pleasant to work with, never caused trouble and really loved the market. We talked briefly a few times and he told me that his mother was a school teacher. Friends say that his family is from Ontario.
Roland Clarke speaks with Mickey about Vending on the Sidewalk and 62 East Hastings in Vancouver DTES
Roland Clarke speaks with Mickey on Vending Tickets, Street Vending in front of her building and being able to safely vend at 62 East Hastings in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
Roland Clarke and Patrick sees Stuffed Green Snake in front of Bottle Depot in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
Roland Clarke and Pat sees a happy man with his stuffed green snake spread joy and happiness on the Bottle Depot block on Hastings Street in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
Roland Clarke with Patrick and his Dogloo in front of Bottle Depot in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
Roland Clarke sees Patrick with his Dogloo as a portable hiding space and DTES home while in front of the Bottle Depot in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)















































































































































































































































































































































































