Women’s residence gets free upgrades
Tradesmen improve security, do renos to Downtown Eastside facility
A group of local men have bandied together to increase security at a Downtown Eastside women’s housing complex.
The work was spearheaded by a real estate management company and backed by an exclusive men’s supper club — the Order of Improved Men — with the support of dozens of general contractors.
The story began a year ago when Tony Astles, president of real estate services at Bentall Kennedy, learned that the old wood-framed entranceway on the women’s East Cordova residence was suspect. The 24-room house, called the Vivian, is operated by the Raincity Housing Society and is home to two dozen vulnerable women.
Astles said Raincity’s story struck him on an “emotional level.”
“These people didn’t have a safe place to live,” he said.
Rough characters roaming the neighbourhood would “kick the doors in all the time,” said Mike DiVenere, construction manager at Bentall Kennedy. He helped co-ordinate a 60-person group of plumbers, painters, carpenters, electricians and engineers.
“The women’s big complaint was that the doors were being pulled open with fingers. People were breaking in,” said DiVenere.
The solution was steel. A firm was selected that specializes in solid entrances for secured facilities. An entire section of the front facade was cut out and replaced with a single steel frame, outfitted with a door, window and wire mesh .“No one can punch it out,” said Di Venere.
Richard Anderson, president of Hunter McLeod real estate management and a leader of the Order of Improved men, said“some bad guys would come in and beat them up.” “That resonated with us,” he said. The front door was the most important fix, but other work was needed on the 100-year-old dwelling. Laundry facilities were improved, security cameras added, walls painted, new flooring installed, lighting added and a washroom redone. The work started with a $26,000 donation from the Order of Improved Men.
The tradesmen added about $100,000 of their own time, often doing more than was requested.
Astles said the contractors weren’t used to working in proximity to marginalized women in the DTES, where drug deals, the sex trade and soup kitchens are openly visible.
He said the workers made a point of not using loud radios and refraining from the usual joking banter and strong language.
“These people didn’t have a safe place to live. The trades felt really good about the results,” Astles said.
Amelia Ridgway, Raincity’s associate director, said “the overall security (at Vivian) has improved greatly.”