Robson Square Renovations

[connect2source]

The recently completed concrete steps across from the 'every child matters' display now totally painted. I do suspect they'll soon close the square to through foot traffic as the passageway keeps getting narrower and the exhibit continues to expand.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by connect2source

The recently completed concrete steps across from the 'every child matters' display now totally painted. I do suspect they'll soon close the square to through foot traffic as the passageway keeps getting narrower and the exhibit continues to expand.

*sigh*

[Vin]

Originally Posted by connect2source

The recently completed concrete steps across from the 'every child matters' display now totally painted. I do suspect they'll soon close the square to through foot traffic as the passageway keeps getting narrower and the exhibit continues to expand.

Might as well do it now.

We are seeing the creation of a new reserve land.

Seriously, the City is run by a bunch of clowns with no backbone.

[VantageHD]

Is that a terrible art piece, or vandalism?

[whatnext]

Just another reason why it was stupid of the city to close that stretch of Robison off in the first place.

[SpongeG]

who is in charge of that display and whats going on there? first nations or sympathizers?

[connect2source]

Exhibit continues to expand, now occupies most of the square with large letters painted over much of the pavers.

[wabooba]

That the residential school genocides are a horrific national disgrace is well understood.
That the grievances of the First Nations must be heard and addressed is a given, and must be rectified.
But to turn the centre of Vancouver into an exhibit of this, as shown here, while pertinent, especially as the news of the massacres was revealed, while pertinent at the outset, has become overkill.
While we should not be allowed to forget Canada's own "Holocaust," the daily life of the city should be allowed to return to normal.
Surely there is another place or another way to commemorate it without that overkill.
If left to drag on and on and on, the demonstration will become perceived as tedious, and discredit itself.
There must be some way Robson Square can be returned to normalcy without turning our backs on what happened.
Any other places for the demonstration? Any other method of making a protest statement? Any other way of memorializing the horror? Surely there must be.
But the life of the heart of the city - Robson Square - and the immediate vicinity should IMO be returned to as copacetic a state as possible.
Finding another location for this, and perhaps another way to express the ongoing grievance, legitimate as it is, is in order.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by wabooba

But to turn the centre of Vancouver into an exhibit of this, as shown here, while pertinent, especially as the news of the massacres was revealed, while pertinent at the outset, has become overkill.
While we should not be allowed to forget Canada's own "Holocaust," the daily life of the city should be allowed to return to normal.
Surely there is another place or another way to commemorate it without that overkill.
If left to drag on and on and on, the demonstration will become perceived as tedious, and discredit itself.
There must be some way Robson Square can be returned to normalcy without turning our backs on what happened.
Any other places for the demonstration? Any other method of making a protest statement? Any other way of memorializing the horror? Surely there must be.
But the life of the heart of the city - Robson Square - and the immediate vicinity should IMO be returned to as copacetic a state as possible.
Finding another location for this, and perhaps another way to express the ongoing grievance, legitimate as it is, is in order.

To be honest, if it wasn't for this forum I wouldn't even know this existed.

[CivicBlues]

Someone posted a thread in r/Vancouver to the same effect a few days ago and got thoroughly downvoted and shut down by comments such as "Oh no a colonizer is inconvenienced boohoo"

But the same subreddit is entirely onboard with mass deportations of homeless in the DTES

Go figure.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by chowhou

To be honest, if it wasn't for this forum I wouldn't even know this existed.

Same.

[djh]

You would think the city would see the opportunity, take the initiative, and offer to build a permanent exhibit or statue or memorial in or around this location. Then the groups would feel they have proper permanent recogniton, their issues would be permanently seen and not at the whims of the fire department or a bureaucrat to throw it all away "for safety and security reasons", and the whole area would get tidied up.

A permanent exhibit sould definitely take up a decent amount of space to draw attention. It should not be some tiny plaque that gets ignored - but it also shouldn't be so big that the whole area always looks like a dumpster fire.
For example, a way of tastefully but provocatively displaying all of the dolls in a permanent display, that were left behind to represent the murdered and missing children (and text to explain why it's there and what it means) - I'd support that. But not like it is now, just a big DTES-style mess

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by djh

You would think the city would see the opportunity, take the initiative, and offer to build a permanent exhibit or statue or memorial in or around this location. Then the groups would feel they have proper permanent recogniton, their issues would be permanently seen and not at the whims of the fire department or a bureaucrat to throw it all away "for safety and security reasons", and the whole area would get tidied up.

A permanent exhibit sould definitely take up a decent amount of space to draw attention. It should not be some tiny plaque that gets ignored - but it also shouldn't be so big that the whole area always looks like a dumpster fire.
For example, a way of tastefully but provocatively displaying all of the dolls in a permanent display, that were left behind to represent the murdered and missing children (and text to explain why it's there and what it means) - I'd support that. But not like it is now, just a big DTES-style mess

I would imagine that this is in the planning behind the scenes but won't be announced until it's agreed on by all parties.

The display is intentionally disruptive, but only constitutes a minor inconvenience. People are still walking through, I have never seen any issues, etc.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

I would imagine that this is in the planning behind the scenes but won't be announced until it's agreed on by all parties.

The display is intentionally disruptive, but only constitutes a minor inconvenience. People are still walking through, I have never seen any issues, etc.

So any group with a grievance should just be able to permanently claim public space for their cause? When it just the shoes on the art gallery steps it made sense now, like so much in Vancouver, its just turned into an out of control shitshow

Is the tent selling pot illegally still there too? I'd be pissed if I owned a pot shop and went through all the hurdles just to see them flout the law like this.

[goodcitywhenfinished]

Better yet, turn the old art gallery into an Indigenous cultural centre, museum, and art gallery.

Build out a powerful and evocative exhibit on residential schools similar in weight to other "memorial museums" around the world. Have Indigenous Architecture firms lead the interior design and planning. The entire building can serve as a high quality and respectful memorial and cultural space much more powerful than these DIY memorials painted on the sidewalk.

Win-win.

[s211]

Originally Posted by goodcitywhenfinished

Better yet, turn the old art gallery into an Indigenous cultural centre, museum, and art gallery.

Build out a powerful and evocative exhibit on residential schools similar in weight to other "memorial museums" around the world. Have Indigenous Architecture firms lead the interior design and planning. The entire building can serve as a high quality and respectful memorial and cultural space much more powerful than these DIY memorials painted on the sidewalk.

Win-win.

Uh, right. Like how they want to demolish that great-looking half-timber building near Cambie and 33rd because it's "colonial"?

[officedweller]

The Vancouver Museum/Planetarium is in the shape of an aboriginal hat, that's a better building for an aboriginal museum.

[wabooba]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The Vancouver Museum/Planetarium is in the shape of an aboriginal hat, that's a better building for an aboriginal museum.

To me, that makes a whole lot of sense. I presume however that another new museum for the city of Vancouver and not strictly focussing on Aboriginal issues would be needed. It could start with an Aboriginal-style statement, but go on to demonstrate the arrivals of the explorers, the building of the CPR, and people and events in the city's history, leading up to now.

Would that be possible? And if yes, where could it be? When the VAG moves to its new building, would the present VAG and former courthouse be sufficient?
Or would that be impractical as UBC has a campus there, and/or large enough?
(though frankly, I'd love to see a music school there).

keep on trying, I guess. A totally new Vancouver Museum. How, where, when?

[Vin]

Originally Posted by goodcitywhenfinished

Better yet, turn the old art gallery into an Indigenous cultural centre, museum, and art gallery.

Build out a powerful and evocative exhibit on residential schools similar in weight to other "memorial museums" around the world. Have Indigenous Architecture firms lead the interior design and planning. The entire building can serve as a high quality and respectful memorial and cultural space much more powerful than these DIY memorials painted on the sidewalk.

Win-win.

I won't agree to funding this. This "de-colonization" BS is getting to epic proportion not just in Vancouver, but pretty much the entire province. Same thing happening in Victoria, where now visitors are all shocked at what the Royal British Columbia museum has become, so much so that the province lowered the entrance fee from $25 to a mere $5. Nothing much to see in there now.

Originally Posted by s211

Uh, right. Like how they want to demolish that great-looking half-timber building near Cambie and 33rd because it's "colonial"?

Exactly: I call that dumb people caving in to even dumber demands. Tax payers always end up being on the hook.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by connect2source

Exhibit continues to expand, now occupies most of the square with large letters painted over much of the pavers.

I think it is high time to charge people for vandalism and illegal occupation here, don't you think?