May 2025 Newsletter

June 24, 2025


May 2025 Newsletter

MAY RESIDENTS MEETING

The SRA will be holding a residents meeting on Wednesday, May 7, from 7-8:30 PM in the upstairs community room at the Strathcona Community Centre. The agenda is wide open at this point, so please come with your concerns, questions, complaints, compliments, whatever. We’ll send out a zoom link the day before to all registered members. If you’re not registered, you can do so at this link. It’s free for all residents.

UPDATING THE DTES PLAN

The City is in the process of exploring policy updates to the 2014 DTES plan. The original plan envisioned a “community with a range of affordable housing options (including social housing) for all residents, local serving commerce, social services and cultural activities where all feel welcome, valued and at home.” That hasn’t happened. Though social and supportive housing have surpassed targets, few have included mixed-use and most have been exclusively supportive housing. Under the existing plan, only two mixed-use projects were built in the last decade. Market rental and ownership units have lagged below expected targets and retail businesses have struggled.

The changes are intended “to make it easier for governments, non-profits, and the private sector to build social housing and accelerate SRO replacement” by making mixed-use projects more economically viable. These changes include modifying the requirement for Inclusionary Social Housing from 60% to 20%, increasing allowable height and density, and easing other zoning restrictions. The new plan envisions a significant 10-year increase in market rental and ownership units to meet the goals of the original plan.

For more info and a chance to give feedback:
• Online: Visit their website to explore informational boards and a summary of the proposed changes (available in English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese), and share your thoughts through a survey.

• Public Information Session: Join in on Monday, May 12 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Japanese Hall (487 Alexander Street) to learn more and ask questions.

IMPROVEMENTS IN MACLEAN PARK

Thanks to volunteers from the Strathcona Community Policing Centre for repainting the two picnic tables that the Park Board added to Maclean Park.

Thanks also to the neighbours who loaned them sanders and Home Depot for donating the paint and supplies. We’re also getting two more park benches along Keefer St. just in time for summer!

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