Latest news with #CRABPark
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cooling bus run by former CRAB Park residents providing heat relief in Downtown Eastside
A cooling bus run by former residents of the CRAB Park encampment is taking to the streets of Vancouver this summer, stopping in parks and streets around the Downtown Eastside to provide people with relief from the heat. The community initiative offers cold water, snacks, hot weather gear and harm reduction supplies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Organizers say they're aiming to fill a service gap amid funding cuts to some other support services in the area and a daytime camping ban that means unhoused people aren't allowed to set up shelters during the hottest hours of the summer. The initiative is staffed by a team of about 35 people, many of them former residents of the CRAB Park encampment, which the city closed down last November. One of those former residents, Larry Cocksedge, said running the cooling bus feels like a way to give back to a community that has helped him out many times. "Not everybody gets to eat every day, and if we can provide them a snack and a water or a freezie, or something to help them cool down, it's just amazing," he told CBC's On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko. Fiona York, a housing advocate who spearheaded the bus idea, said staff are trained in overdose prevention and can offer expertise that people who aren't a part of the community can't. For instance, she said, they know what areas of the neighbourhood to go to to reach people who are the most in need, or who can't get to physical cooling centres or support services themselves. York said they have cold water, ice packs, cool towels and electrolytes. She said with rising temperatures this week, there is an especially high need for help. WATCH | Community-run cooling bus helping DTES residents to beat the heat: The City of Vancouver said it's provided more than 6,200 cooling kits to local organizations over the last three years. In an email to CBC News, a city spokesperson said some cooling centres extend their hours during extreme weather conditions, and that the centres are free for everyone. An online city map shows the locations of spray parks, misting stations and cooling centres. For those running the cooling bus, it's about helping out their neighbours. "The system has failed a lot of people," peer mentor Natasha Shingoose said. "But instead of turning away, we're coming together as a community to show up for one another." York said they are fundraising and hoping to run a warming bus come winter.
CBC
17-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Cooling bus run by former CRAB Park residents providing heat relief in Downtown Eastside
Social Sharing A cooling bus run by former residents of the CRAB Park encampment is taking to the streets of Vancouver this summer, stopping in parks and streets around the Downtown Eastside to provide people with relief from the heat. The community initiative offers cold water, snacks, hot weather gear and harm reduction supplies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Organizers say they're aiming to fill a service gap amid funding cuts to some other support services in the area and a daytime camping ban that means unhoused people aren't allowed to set up shelters during the hottest hours of the summer. The initiative is staffed by a team of about 35 people, many of them former residents of the CRAB Park encampment, which the city closed down last November. One of those former residents, Larry Cocksedge, said running the cooling bus feels like a way to give back to a community that has helped him out many times. "Not everybody gets to eat every day, and if we can provide them a snack and a water or a freezie, or something to help them cool down, it's just amazing," he told CBC's On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko. Fiona York, a housing advocate who spearheaded the bus idea, said staff are trained in overdose prevention and can offer expertise that people who aren't a part of the community can't. For instance, she said, they know what areas of the neighbourhood to go to to reach people who are the most in need, or who can't get to physical cooling centres or support services themselves. York said they have cold water, ice packs, cool towels and electrolytes. She said with rising temperatures this week, there is an especially high need for help. WATCH | Community-run cooling bus helping DTES residents to beat the heat: Cooling bus offers water, resources for Downtown Eastside residents 11 hours ago Residents of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside have a new resource to help them beat the heat this summer. It's described as a cooling bus, part of a grassroots initiative offering people bottled water and other supplies as temperatures soar. Amelia John went along for a ride. The City of Vancouver said it's provided more than 6,200 cooling kits to local organizations over the last three years. In an email to CBC News, a city spokesperson said some cooling centres extend their hours during extreme weather conditions, and that the centres are free for everyone. An online city map shows the locations of spray parks, misting stations and cooling centres. For those running the cooling bus, it's about helping out their neighbours. "The system has failed a lot of people," peer mentor Natasha Shingoose said. "But instead of turning away, we're coming together as a community to show up for one another."
CTV News
17-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Cooling bus offers relief from heat
Vancouver Watch During this spell of hot weather, former CRAB Park campers are using what they call a "cooling van" to provide water and other supplies in the DTES.
CTV News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Former CRAB Park encampment residents launch ‘cooling bus' to support Downtown Eastside
A woman accepts a bottle of water being handed out by people operating a "cooling bus" on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. As hot weather descends on the city, former residents of a Vancouver encampment are operating what they call a cooling bus to provide water and other supplies to people on the Downtown Eastside, as they label a Vancouver policy banning daytime camping as cruel. Kiana McDermott is one of the people who used to call CRAB Park home, and is one of the people now helping to operate the bus. They're handing out cold drinks, snacks and harm reduction supplies to people, many of whom live in poverty or are homeless. 'It gives me purpose and stuff,' McDermott said of what she gets out of helping others after improving her own personal situation. 'I've needed help before, and there've been people out there that have had the compassion that have helped me, and I feel that's like helped me progress in my life. I'm no longer in the position I once was.' People CTV News spoke with on the Downtown Eastside shared their appreciation for those operating the bus. 'It's a good thing, right? Because people need more access to stuff like this, especially during the heat,' one man told CTV News while waiting in line for a bottle of water and some granola bars. The bus operators describe Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim's policies as cruel – specifically decisions to shut down various encampments and to crack down on enforcing a ban on daytime sheltering in parks. But Sim and his office maintain the tent cities were dangerous – sharing pictures of seized propane tanks. 'That situation was incredibly unsafe,' Sim told reporters on Wednesday when asked about tent cities. 'We had butane tanks exploding, there were weapon caches there, guns, knives, crossbows, it was an untenable situation… our team spent eight months literally going one by one to every individual out there to make sure that they had the supports in place, finding them suitable shelter space what have you,' he said. This all comes amid a legal challenge by the BC Civil Liberties Association that argues banning people from setting up tents in public spaces areas during the day violates their Charter rights.
CTV News
30-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Suspect arrested, charged in murder in Vancouver's CRAB Park
Police tape and a white tent were set up in CRAB Park after a body was found on the beach on March 22, 2025. (CTV News) Two months after a man was found dead in Vancouver's CRAB Park, a suspect has been arrested and charged with murder. The Vancouver Police Department said homicide detectives apprehended the suspect in the Alberta community of Red Deer on April 10. B.C. prosecutors have since approved one count of first-degree murder against 47-year-old Jason Hynatyshyn. Authorities also identified the victim Friday as 51-year-old Brett MacDonald. His death marked the city's first homicide of 2025. Police said MacDonald was shot on the northwest side of CRAB Park, along a gravel walking path, on the morning of March 22. A passerby spotted his body and called police. Hnatyshyn remains in custody pending his next court appearance, authorities said.
