November 2025 Newsletter

November 2025 Newsletter
Upcoming Local Events

Monday, Dec. 1, 7-9 PM. The SRA Residents Meeting and AGM will be held at the Strathcona Community Centre. If you have an interest in being on the board, please contact us at sra@strathcona-residents.org. Agenda and ballots will be sent out a few days before the meeting. This is a great chance for you to learn about and express your opinion on local issues.

Saturday, Nov. 28, 8-11 PM. Strathcona Social. Party like it’s 1999! Join friends, neighbours and DJ Dadada at the 2nd annual social dance party at the Ukrainian Hall. The event is a fundraiser for Strathcona Elementary PAC. Buy early bird tickets at this link.

Monday, Nov. 24, 6-8 PM. 441 East Pender Proposal Open House. Express your opinion about the 6-storey, 64 micro-suite social housing building being proposed for the empty lot at 441 E. Pender. More info below.

Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 20-23. Eastside Culture Crawl. Visit the studios and see the work of over 500 local artists for the 29th annual Culture Crawl. Click here for more info.

441-449 E. Pender Street Rezoning

What’s been happening? Last month, City Council, in a unanimous vote, sent back to staff the referral report for the rezoning of 441-449 E Pender Street over

concerns about the lack of meaningful public consultation. To ensure that residents have an opportunity to express their concerns, the city and developers are holding a public Information session on Monday, Nov. 24 from 6-8 PM at the Strathcona Community Centre. A big turnout will send a clear message that we care about the future of our community, and we’re paying attention.

The SRA Board opposes this rezoning proposal for several reasons. It does not meet the DTES Plan objectives for the Strathcona RT-3 zoning district and does not comply with existing urban planning policies for the area. Packed with 64 micro-units, all under 260 square feet, we’re concerned about the liveability, tenant mix and manageability of the building design as proposed.

Furthermore, it could set a precedent for other CD-1 rezoning applications throughout Strathcona. In particular, the proposed 6-storey building could become a model for redevelopment of other empty lots and all buildings throughout the neighbourhood that fall under the Single Room Accommodation (SRA) By-law. The below map shows the existing buildings under that by-law (see burgundy icons) and the E. Pender Street rezoning site (orange icon):

Please try to come to next Monday’s open house. More details about the project are available at this ShapeYourCity site. If you can’t make it, you can send your thoughts in an e-mail to sarah.cranston@vancouver.ca. You can also add your name to this petition.

On the broader conversation about rethinking the DTES plan and building social housing, the City is proposing a new Vancouver Social Housing Initiative to promote social housing be spread more equitably across the whole City. The zoning changes do not directly impact zoning in Strathcona / Kiwassa, but if Council approves the strategy, it will become much easier for social housing to be approved outside of the DTES Plan area. The referral report can be found here. There will be a public hearing on Nov. 27. To sign up to speak or submit comments to Council click here.

SRA is working to schedule a meeting with the Honourable Larry Campbell as part of his consultation on the DTES. Come to our Dec. 1 AGM to share your thoughts and get updates.

Are We Losing Our Sense of Community?

We’re reprinting the message below from the Strathcona Neighbourhood (Skwachays) Facebook Page.

This might not be well received and I don’t want to ruffle any feathers, but I must express this strong feeling I’ve been having. If you have purchased a home in this neighbourhood in the last ten years, I need to be seeing more effort from you in the community. Not just social events that cater to people of the same class as you. The “community work” I’ve seen done by many Strathcona parents and adults is so disappointing. If you have the money and time I need you to put it where it’s needed. Share petitions, organize protests. You have connections, you have privilege, why not use it to benefit people who have less than you? This neighbourhood has changed so dramatically since I was born and it breaks my heart to see the exclusivity perpetuated by many new(ish) neighbours. I know Hastings is scary to you and so are maybe some other parts of this neighbourhood, but you guys can be the change. Please think about doing more for children, youth, single parents, working class families and elders who struggle to afford to live in our own community. I love my neighbours and I don’t want anyone to take personal offence but we’re living in scary times and we need all the help we can get. I say this with deep love for this community.

There are many comments, which I encourage you to check out (there’s a link to the Facebook page above.)

My two cents: I’ve been a resident here since 2011, first as a renter, then as a homeowner. I have lived many places in my 70 years, but never have I lived in a place where I’ve had such a strong sense of community and belonging. I’ve gotten to know many neighbours by name and story. I feel known and welcome in our corner stores and gathering places. I’ve seen individuals self-motivated to create and tend to community assets. I’ve witnessed many times how neighbours reflectively help those in need. For this, Strathcona is a rare and wonderful place.

But I share the writer’s concern that we are in danger of losing what might be our most valuable asset. There are houses whose new owners I’ve never seen. Calls for volunteers yield no responses. Where once 80 people would come to a meeting, now only 10 show up. Sure, there’s always Covid to blame. People lead busy lives. They’re focused on themselves. Community is something people care about only when they need it. Maybe.

How do we spread a sense of community? How do we invite newcomers and outliers to be part of it? I disagree that it is a class issue. Some of the most active members of the Strathcona community are relative newcomers who are homeowners. I also disagree that it’s because people lead busier lives. I know working parents with multiple children who manage to carve out time to volunteer. I disagree that as a society, we are becoming more self-absorbed and screen-obsessed. I’ve seen incredible acts of generosity from complete strangers.

I think community is a choice. Some people may have forgotten (or never known) how valuable community can be, not just to other people, but to themselves. To feel belonging. To feel needed. To feel a part of something bigger than your household.

For those of you are already engaged, thank you. For those who would like to be more so, I invite you to take a small step. Start a conversation. Help a neighbour. Go to a meeting. Volunteer. Find something in Strathcona that needs caring for and care for it.

Let’s talk about it more at the AGM.

Dan