Views of a Van Tourist

Jim and Brenda in front of the Lights of Hope in Vancouver.

We are Jim and Brenda. Jim is from Fredericton and Brenda is from Toronto. We met while working at the Crossing Resort in Banff National Park, Alberta. It was during our stay at this resort that we discovered we were both on a spiritual quest to get closer to God. My resolve to climb Mount Wilson became a spiritual epiphany one afternoon as I came face to face with the “Big Guy” during a custom-designed lightening storm when fire from heaven scorched the rocks around me, on my descent from the summit. Surviving this experience was enough to instill in me the desire to find a way to be of service to God and I decided that I wanted to work with children in need. With this in mind, Brenda and I decided to unite our efforts and planned to go to Indochina to research the possibilities of opening an orphanage and school. While Brenda took some time to visit her son in Calgary, I went on to Vancouver to say my “good-byes” to a cousin who had recently passed away from a drug addiction that had begun on the streets of Vancouver. As I looked around, I became curious as to whether Van was ready for the Olympics.

Four young people "shooting-up" on a main street in downtown Vancouver.

What is the first question that comes to mind when you’re walking down the street in broad daylight and you come across not one, but four drug-addicts sticking needles into their arms? For me, the question is, “Where are the Police?”

Where are the Police? I took this photo while leaning against their patrol car. In fact, I’d just walked past two officers a hundred yards away from this scene. The largest Police Station in Vancouver is a mere three blocks away.

In a heavy drug-user area, bags of human excrement are tied on a fence in plastic bags, apparently to keep it off the syringe-littered ground. Isn’t there a law against this?

This is human excrement deposited in front of a shop door.

(This one didn't make it to the fence.)

How would you feel if you were a shop-keeper paying $50 per square foot to lease a store where you have to clean up after vagrants living in your doorway. Wouldn't you want the vagrancy laws enforced?

Used Condom.
How many times do you see this on a main street?

What if you were a philanthropist who donated an art gallery to the city only to have its majestic steps dominated by drug-dealers, thieves and vagrants?

During my time in Vancouver, my brand new Apple Notebook and over $500 were stolen by one of the regulars of the Art Gallery Steps. I was threatened with assault in front of a lawyer, assaulted on two occasions, yet my faith in God carried me through. It sure wasn’t the Vancouver Police Department because my dealings with them on these issues were handled with total disrespect and disregard. I was told that the theft of my laptop was a civil matter that required a lawyer. As for the assault, I (a visitor and tourist) was asked by Police to no longer frequent the Art Gallery Steps since I was “upsetting the regulars” (drug-dealers, vagrants and thieves). I was so shocked by this statement from the Police officer, I had him repeat it.

Isn’t it time to repossess the art gallery steps for what they were intended?

Snow. Here is one way to discourage vagrants. Miraculously, previous vagrants are suddenly able to find alternative accommodations.

Thankfully, within a short time of these events, Brenda came back into my life so that we could get on track with our dreams for the future of helping needy children of the world. Unfortunately, Brenda’s journey, like mine had been full of pitfalls. People she trusted and believed in took her for some of her hard-earned funds.

Now we were both in Vancouver ready to go, but due to others’ greed, we had to stop and replenish our coffers.

This is when we changed course and began a campaign online appealing to friends and family for support of our cause. To save money, we went to great extremes, denying ourselves any extravagance and living on a shoe string to save every penny for our goal.

To add another discouraging expense, one evening, I was ticketed with a $100 fine for “Spitting”!

While taking a break from writing at the Blenz Coffee Shop (the one and only spot I have discovered that inspires my writing) on the corner of Granville and Nelson, I had just stepped outside for some fresh air when a Police cruiser pulled up. The officer on the passenger side looked me up and down, and shook his head with a look of disgust as though he thought I was gay. Naturally, I gave him a look back and shook my head with the same disgust. With that, he flew out of the car and ran up to me, demanding to see my ID. He said he was giving me a ticket for spitting.
Although I was shocked, I accepted that I must have spit and so apologized, saying it wasn’t something I normally do because, as a responsible dog-owner, when I do spit, it’s usually in an empty coffee cup, tissue, or the gutter, etc. When I looked around I noticed the driver of the patrol car was now standing behind me in a threatening stance. So, I asked him why he was standing there. He said, “I’m backing up my partner.” My answer was, “I would think with a spitting charge, you’d be able to stay in the car. I guess I committed the crime of the century.”

With all the criminal activities unfolding around us, the irony of the situation was undeniable. Here were two physically impressive Police officers confronting a grandfather/tourist for spitting in a public place.

Jim holding his $100 ticket for "Expectorating in a Public Place".

Beyond what treatment I received from the Police, thieves, criminals and the homeless, it’s discouraging when even my own peers suggest as a solution to all of this that I should return to N.B. My response to that is that I’m first and foremost a Canadian. Canada will always be home to me, whatever city I choose to reside in. So, for now I’m a Vancouverite willing to help make this city ready for the Olympics. With thirty years experience in hospitality, tourism, marketing, radio broadcasting, print media, etc., I believe I am qualified to do so. Vancouver, let’s make Canada proud.