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POOP FROM THE MARE OF VANADA


MEMORIAL FOR RELOCATED SEX WORKERS


1984 was when the Mare's office closed this road & ran the hookers out like infested rats.

Although I'd seen this item of lunacy under construction for some time, with no idea what it was supposed to be when it grew up, I was completely apalled when its purpose was finally revealed: it is a "memorial" to the "sex workers of Vancouver" who were run out of this neighbourhood like rabid dogs thirty years ago by a coalition of motivated NIMBY's and city forces.


Can you believe the arrogance of the Mare's office in putting this up?
In this city it is an ongoing and endless struggle.

The sex workers (at least those who survived the slaughter on the Downtown east side) are still being harassed and moved around town (is it Cedar Cottage now, countered by mobile self-powered observation towers? ... new NIMBY groups forming?) so it's almost incomprehensible as to why the Mare would provide $25,000.00 towards this commemoration of their persecution. Was the Mare a sex worker? Is he looking for votes from his constituents?

Speaking of special interest groups, I was also temporarily perplexed by the installation of a second traffic barrier on Jervis Street, at the lane off Davie by the church. There was already a barrier at Davie preventing right turns onto Jervis, installed thirty years ago to keep the poor "johns" from cruising around and around the block waiting for the girl of their dreams to appear on the sidewalk, but which for the last third of a century has only just served to grossly inconvenience residents of the West End who simply want to get home.

But wait, suddenly the first barrier - after thirty years - is GONE! What joy, too bad the second barrier is now in place, I get it. The developers who are building the new tower on the corner of Jervis and Davie had a word with oh-so-compliant Mare ... maybe a little money changed hands for the mare's personal slush fund ... and VOILA! the NEW residents will be able to access THEIR parking lot directly off Davie, but everyone else in the central West End can still go *&^$ themselves if they're trying to drive straight home.

What I find especially ironic is that nobody can (legally) drive around the block any more, even if they want to drive by and admire this new monument to the Mare's folly. And, p.s., lots of those nasty and horrible car drivers are ignoring the new blockade on Jervis, and driving up the one-lane opposite side, ha ha, even waiting politely for opposing traffic to pass. Smaller cars can fit up the tiny right-side bike lane, too, but don't tell the Mare.


In five minutes observation, half the vehicles did this. Maybe more signs are needed?
Armed guards on 24-hour duty? Road spikes facing one way?

Let's put it another way. Can the Mare give us one good reason for blocking this road into the West End? The only people getting *&^$'ed here any more are the helpless residents.


How much money was wasted on this? Why is it here?
Nice work on the potholes as usual, Mare.



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