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Granville Street has become the destination of assaults, altercations, and even deaths. It’s dubbed as an entertainment district yet its better known for its violence.

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On January 28 2018, 23 year old Kalwinder Thind was killed while trying to break up a fight outside of Cabana Lounge.

 

In 2016, 28 year old Lauren McLellan was assaulted outside of Caprice Nightclub where she eventually died.

 

While homicides on Granville Street aren’t common, assaults and altercations are.

 

Trevor Hill was stabbed in the stomach last summer at The Yale Saloon.

 

“It was totally random." - Trevor Hill

 

Hill had bumped into someone outside of The Yale when the man turned around and stabbed him.

 

"Granville Street is party central. People go there with the mentality to go crazy,” he said.

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Hill was recently subpoenaed for his case and will be testifying in court in April.

Disorder on Granville

“The street is a mess. It’s badly designed.”

George Affleck, Vancouver City Council
TRAILER

Statistics from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) depict fights on the Granville Entertainment District (GED). While the numbers for 2017 are low, the data was gathered before the summer months when the GED is much busier.

Courtesy of the VPD

“Those fights and the violence that emanates from clubs is a constant challenge for the VPD. Closing off the street has been a successful approach over the years to reduce the tension on the sidewalks, but violence persists.” - Mayor Gregor Robertson

 

Robertson stated that council approved a larger police budget for the coming years but said it's up to the chief to decide where they're (officers) are deployed.

Donnelly Partner and Safe and Sound President Paul Stoilen also cited transportation as an issue.

 

“There’s very few transit options for people to get home late at night. With the skytrain closing at 1:30, a noticeable shortage of cabs, and no Uber, it doesn’t leave people with many options.” - Paul Stoilen, Safe and Sound President

 

Stoilen also noted that the concentration of people congregating in one area at the end of the night is another cause for concern.

Isabella Zavarise/BCIT News

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Vancouver City Councillor George Affleck was vocal in wanting changes to this area after Thind’s fatal stabbing.

 

Affleck said he put forth a motion four years ago to address issues such as these on Granville Street, but it was ignored by Vision Vancouver.

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“Here we are today with the problems still continuing. My opinion is still the same. The street design is bad. We need to create a more friendly atmosphere to include a more lively atmosphere that’s positive, not negative.” - George Affleck, Vancouver City Councillor

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When asked if he thought policing was the issue, Affleck said no.

 

“I think it’s about the atmosphere. When parents bring their kids, and there’s a mixed group of people, it creates a safer environment. If you create a culture where there’s one kind of party animal, it’s not a positive environment.” - George Affleck, City Councillor

Trevor's Story

October 18, 2015

Courtesy of Hall 7 Emergency Photography

In 2006 Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan introduced Project Civil City in an effort to ‘clean up’ the city before the 2010 Olympics.

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An objective of Project Civil City was to reduce public disorder on Granville street. During this time, 71 offenses against a person were recorded by the VPD in the Central Business District. 28 of these incidents occurred within the week of February 14-20, during the peak of these sporting events.

 

Project Civil City was discontinued a few months after the Olympics.

Courtesy VPD Geodash

For Hill, his harrowing experience has tainted his view of the area.

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“I definitely don’t go to the Granville strip anymore after that. I kind of just avoid downtown to be honest.” - Trevor Hill

The VPD’s Jason Doucette said the area is a challenge for police.

 

“We actually call out additional officers on Friday and Saturday nights, and any other nights where we think there will be an increase in visits to the Granville mall. We are staffing the area based on history, expectations, and what we are anticipating.” - Jason Doucette, VPD

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Mayor Gregor Robertson reiterated Doucette’s sentiments. Robertson said that late night transit service would alleviate some of the issues and is in talks with TransLink to accommodate this.

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Rayven Feraru, a long-time street vendor on Granville Street said things have become worse over time.

This past summer Vancouver City Council put forth a motion to restrict entry time from 3am to 2am in the Granville Entertainment District. The motion received push back from bars and nightclubs and the project was put on hold.

 

Affleck said the main concern was that there would be a lot of people wandering around the street, as opposed to going into the clubs, due to the ban.

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Last summer, city council and the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association approved an anti-harassment street team to patrol Granville Street on the weekends.

 

Good Night Out Vancouver, a woman-run team, provided aid to partygoers. Whether it was finding a cab, diffusing a verbal situation, or providing overdose prevention, the team was a necessary addition on the street.

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Good Night Out Vancouver is currently seeking more funding in order to continue its work.

While the street team was beneficial, Affleck believes the solution lies in evaluating how the street is designed.

 

“We need to reassess what kind of businesses are going there, how we can engage the community as far as events. We need to get those trolley cables off, move the busses so we can have proper staging, proper events...bands. We need places for live venues.” - George Affleck, City Councillor

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No concrete decision has yet been made to revamp the area. It's clear that Granville Street is a breeding ground for mischief and disorder. In the past six months, 371 offenses against a person have occurred, including one homicide.

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Courtesy VPD Geodash

Isabella Zavarise/BCIT News

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