Gastown clean-up attracts crowd in advance of expected tourism turnaround in B.C.

A crowd of volunteers turned out on Saturday to help clean up a historic Vancouver neighbourhood hard-hit by the tourism downturn in the pandemic.

Gastown residents and businesses are now preparing to welcome back travellers, office workers, and cruise ship passengers, but the area is also facing other challenges they’re hoping to see addressed.

Executive director of the Gastown Business Improvement Society Walley Wargolet said the clean-up is coming at a time when tourism is poised to turn a corner, including the return of cruise ships to the city early next month.

“We have the first one coming in here on the seventh of April with 1,100 passengers,” he said. “You know, capacity might be down a little bit, but it still could be one of the best years ever for cruise ship traffic, which I think then bodes well for overall tourism in general.”

People lined up at Maple Tree Square to pick up gloves, T-shirts and other supplies, and then dispersed around the area. Volunteers could be seen filling garbage bags with litter and hosing down the cobblestones.

Wargolet added the unique neighbourhood is loved by many, and people want to do something to help.

“We’ve just noticed a lack of maintenance from the city and thought, ‘You know what, let’s take matters into our own hands here,’” he said, and noted the city did provide materials to help with the community clean-up.

“They have also committed to making sure they’re dedicating resources to Gastown this spring and summer, so this is the start of that.”

Longtime resident Susan Kushlick came out to join the volunteers. She said the pandemic created a downward spiral for their vibrant neighbourhood, and that hasn’t been the only concern.

“The vandalism down here has just been absolutely horrific,” she said. “We’ve seen people dying on the streets. Two people in this past year, right in front of our building.”

Kushlick said she would like to see a more visible security or police presence, and more attention paid to keeping the area clean.

“We love the historical buildings. The architecture is fabulous, and it’s a real community. You can sit out on your balcony at night and you can hear music and you can hear people,” she said. “There seems to be an energy that hopefully we can revive this area.”

Wargolet said beyond cleaning, there is more work to be done.

“I think anyone that’s been to Gastown understands some of the issues here with the infrastructure,” he said. “Water Street is, some days, impassable. The bricks have not been replaced when there’s been utility work, and we’ve had many conversations with city staff and they recognize this is a problem and now we’re just trying to have them commit the dollars that are necessary to get this work done.”

City Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung said she brought forward a motion earlier in March that highlighted the development of a transportation plan for Gastown streets as one of the potential capital projects for staff to look at in current budget planning.

“You can see the streets are falling into disrepair,” she said. “This is one of the most historic neighbourhoods that we have and we really need to take care of it.”

Kushlick said taking part in the clean-up felt like an important contribution to being part of the neighbourhood.

“Even if it’s picking up cigarette butts that you know will be here tomorrow,” she said. “It’s a show of force that the neighbourhood is coming together.”