July 2025 Newsletter
** July 2025 Newsletter
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** Upcoming Local Events
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Tuesday July 1, 2-4 PM. Canada Day Jazz Concert at the Labyrinth (in the Linear Park off Hawks) with the Gerry Teahan Quintet. Free cake by Lynn.
Saturday July 5, 4-10 PM. Union Street Block Party (600 block). Live music, dancing, free hot dogs, pickleball, fire trucks, photo booth and more. Dog friendly. Bring a chair and food to share.
Sunday July 6, 2-5 PM. MacLean Park Music. Free live music. Click for details (https://www.facebook.com/MacLeanParkMusic/events)
Saturday July 26, 1-7 PM. Eastside Arts Festival in MacLean Park. Live music, art-making, food trucks and beer garden. Click for details (https://eastsideartsfest.ca/)
Sunday July 27, 2-5 PM. MacLean Park Music. Free live music. Click for details (https://www.facebook.com/MacLeanParkMusic/events)
PROPOSED RECOVERY SUPPORT CENTRE
You may have recently received notice from CoV regarding a change-of-use permit for 923 E. Hastings (a storefront space in Strathcona Village). The request is being made by a recovery support group called Junction, which is currently operating out of a temporary space on Broadway near Commercial.
They reached out to the SRA to introduce themselves. Junction is based on the belief that people trying to recover from addictions benefit greatly from a sense of belonging and contributing to a community. Unlike AA, they offer a variety of activities without religious overtones or expectations of abstinence. “We try to meet people where they’re at.”
They offer support groups, art and music workshops, yoga, meditation, etc. It’s free and open to anyone 19 and older who is in recovery. There is no safe-injection or needle distribution. Members agree to abide by a code of behavior. Substance use is not permitted in or around the facility.
Junction is funded by VCH and currently has centres on Broadway, North Van and the Sunshine Coast. They are planning to open this site in May 2026. For more info, check out their website (https://junctionbc.ca/) or e-mail Jenny Corlett (mailto:jenny@bethechangegroup.com?subject=Junction) .
UPDATES
A few updates on issues we’ve been tracking:
MacLean Park Shooting: On the evening of May 6, there was a shooting in MacLean Park. We were concerned that this might connected to drug dealers relocating to our neighbourhood as a result of the VPD’s Task Force Barrage in the DTES. As far as we know, the shooting was an isolated incident (we’re still awaiting to hear back on a FOI request), but we’re encouraging residents to be more vigilant in noticing and reporting suspicious activity.The SCPC recently sent out this flyer explaining how best to do that: How to report suspicious activity (https://strathcona-residents.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Suspicious-activity.jpg)
(Not Yet) People’s Park: The VFRS recently located a temporary annex at Hastings near Victoria Dr. In the short term, this hall will be used to take some of the stress off Fire Hall #2. In the longer term, it will become a replacement for Fire Hall #9 on Victoria, which is slated for renovation. The VFRS has not yet found a permanent site for the temporary Annex they wanted to located at the green space on Union and Gore. Both the Park Board and the City Council unanimously voted for that site to become an official park.
Westbank Towers: We were hopeful that the three towers proposed for Hastings St. had become mired in economic quagmire, but according to Mahbod Biazi, project rep from Westbank, “The project is progressing through the rezoning process at the City.” Stay tuned.