Partners Help You Block Out Crime  –

Your community policing centre and Block Watch are stepping up their partnership!

These two community safety initiatives have supported each other for many years, but new training modules jointly developed should make both even more effective. Online sessions for new Block Watch members began in July.

Here’s why you should care: A healthy Block Watch means less local crime. Neighbours learn how to spot crime, or criminal activity in the making. They learn when and how to report it. As a bonus, they get to know one another better, and their block becomes a better place to live.

Leah Marlay, Block Watch administrator since 2008, is retiring this year after helping the program grow to 400 groups and 8,000 members across the city.

“I am so excited about this opportunity,” she says. “It’s a perfect fit. To quote HSCPC’s Clair MacGougan, ‘CPCs are really Block Watch on steroids.’  CPCs will be able to use Block Watch to bring even more neighbourhoods together in safety.” 

“Citizens who start or join a Block Watch do it for two reasons.  One, unfortunately, is that they were the victim of crime or they notice a spike in crime in their neighbourhood.  And, two, it’s a great way to meet your neighbours.  When neighbours know each other and have been Block Watch trained, it’s easier to recognize suspicious or criminal activity.”

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ICBC Pedestrian Safety Campaign  –

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September Provincial Distracted Driving Campaign  –

ICBC has launched the September Distracted Driving campaign to raise awareness and educate British Columbians on the importance of safe and focused driving.

Distracted and inattentive driving is one of the leading contributing factors in fatal car crashes in B.C. On average, distraction is a factor in 5,788 police-reported injuries and 78 deaths each year.

Police will be looking for distracted drivers throughout the province this month. Cell Watch volunteers will also be roadside reminding drivers to leave their phones alone.

Tips to keep everyone safe on the road:

• Turn off your phone or notifications. Consider turning on “silent mode” or “do not disturb” when you first get into the car.
• Keep your phone out of sight and out of mind. Put it in a closed glove box or centre console before you start driving.
• Know where to go before you drive. Program your GPS before you start driving and pull over if you need to update directions.
• Driving will always require your full attention so set yourself up for zero distractions before you start driving.
• Travel safe by planning ahead. Set realistic travel time and be mindful of rush hours and delays.

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Free Movies in the Parks  –

KUNG FU PANDA

Friday, Aug 16, 8pm

Sunrise Park

Trivia: This film marks the first time that Po refers to himself as the “Kung Fu Panda”. (IMDb.com)

CIRCUS WEST PERFORMANCE 7pm

TROLLS BAND TOGETHER 7:45pm

Saturday, Sept. 7

Pandora Park

Trivia: While Velvet’s speaking voice is provided by Amy Schumer, her singing voice is provided by Brianna Mazzola. (IMDb.com)    

Meet Today’s Sunrise Safety Team!  –

Local residents and business owners have likely interacted with our staff members in blue.

While their uniform and mandate has stayed the same, you may have noticed several new faces on the Sunrise Safety Team (SST). Initiated in 2008, SST is a joint program between the Hastings Sunrise Community Policing Centre (HSCPC) and Hastings North Business Improvement Association (HNBIA). It was established to address crime and safety concerns in the East Village Business District.

“Our businesses really value SST and their ability to provide resources to our community,” says Patricia Barnes, executive director at the HNBIA. The program is also supported by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and City of Vancouver.

Abby, Jenny, Kajol, Kimberley, Vanika and Cole currently make up the team. They contribute to the overall safety of the business district through proactive initiatives, including building strong relationships with merchants, property owners, customers, visitors and local residents.

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Former Board President Remembers Challenges of Centre’s Early Years  –

By Michael McKinley (Former board member and HSCPC President 2002 – 2005)

I became involved with the Hastings Sunrise CPC for the noblest of reasons: property. My wife Nancy and I had just bought a house in Hastings Sunrise, and we wanted to make sure that our house prospered.

We had moved here from the West End, and before that, Toronto, and before that all over the place, but I had grown up in Marpole Oakridge and did not know Hastings Sunrise very well, except that I had passed through it to go the PNE as a kid, and to Hastings Park to learn how to lose money on the horses with my dad, but we loved the poetry of the name. It was where the sun came up. The start of a new day, and so, the start of our new life in this interesting and dynamic neighborhood as a new millennium ticked over.

I have not lived in Hastings Sunrise since 2009, but I can imagine how much it has changed given how change happens in cities, and especially in ones like Vancouver. In the year 2000, it was a community of people who had lived there a long time, and were fully invested in its success, and people who were passing through. And people like us, who had just planted our flag and wanted it to fly in the right direction. Former Board President Remembers Challenges of Centre’s Early Years

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Meet The Bulletin Team  –

Did you know that this newsletter has been published for 20 years now? All the stories about the Hastings Sunrise neighbourhood, the HSCPC and its partners would not have been told without our beloved team members Chester Grant and Harry Mah!

When Chester retired as a journalist in 2004, he joined the HSCPC and soon became its board president. He then encouraged neighbour Harry, who helps to operate the iconic family-run McGill Grocery, to volunteer as a board member too. Eventually, both joined the newsletter team.

“It was a no-brainer for me,” says Clair MacGougan, who became executive director in 2002. “Chester brought 50 years of experience in writing and broadcasting while Harry was the editor of the Burrardview News at the time.”

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ICBC Speed Campaign May 2024  –

E-scooters Get a Boost  –

You may have noticed electric kick scooters rolling along city streets over the last few years. In July 2021 the City of Vancouver began to test the use of e-scooters on roads and bike lanes. The pilot project is being extended for another four years.

And soon e-scooters will be available in Vancouver on a shared basis, much like the Mobi bike-sharing system that has been a huge hit since its launch in 2016. Shared e-scooter systems are already in many Alberta communities and in cities across the U.S.

“They offer residents a sustainable and accessible option to move around and explore our city,” said Mayor Ken Sim in supporting the proposal. A shared e-scooter system can provide mobility benefits to residents and visitors including people with limited mobility, low income, or without a driver’s licence.

 Both the pilot project and the new shared system allow only e-scooters that meet provincial standards. They do not include many other electro-mobility devices such as hoverboards, Segway PTs, one-wheels, or monowheels. E-scooter bylaws are enforced by the Vancouver Police Department.

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Spring Distracted Driving Campaign –

ICBC’s Spring Distracted Driving campaign kicked off on Friday March 1, with community initiatives and social media efforts all month long. Police across B.C. will be ramping up enforcement this month, and community policing volunteers will be setting up Cell Watch deployments to remind drivers to leave their phones alone.

One of the most pressing concerns on the roads is distracted driving, which continues to be a leading cause of crashes and injuries. If everyone avoided distractions while driving in B.C., the number of crash fatalities could be reduced by up to 27%. That’s 78 lives that could be saved every year. Research shows that drivers are 3.6 times more likely to crash if they’re using a hand-held electronic device while driving.

Find out more on ICBC’s website, including tips for drivers: https://bit.ly/3Skk0it

#EyesFwdBC

Alzheimer’s Resources  –

Friends and family of people affected by a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease often encounter hardship, difficulty with the affected person’s behaviours, being overwhelmed or just having difficulty with personal interactions. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.

A good starting point is the Alzheimer Society of BC. With an internet connected device, anyone can find information and resources related to Alzheimer’s disease.

The link to Alzheimer’s BC website is: https://alzheimer.ca/bc/en

Here, you can find accurate, informative online and in-person resources. Topics include:

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Vibrant Mural Graces Kamloops

In April 2021, a temporary pop-up plaza was placed at Hastings and Kamloops. This was the City of Vancouver’s response to COVID-19 to provide residents an outdoor gathering space and to support local business recovery.

More than two years later, it has undergone upgrades to become a more permanent fixture and the name “pop-up plaza” has been replaced with “Neighbourhood Plaza”. Here to stay for at least the next five years, it will help provide our community with a space to eat, rest, socialize and participate in neighbourhood activities.

What is great about this plaza is that it has been catered to our neighbourhood.  None of the other plazas look identical, allowing community members to make it their own. There is even a  message board for neighbours sharing information on events.  The City and the BIA have partnered with Mission Possible who provide employment for people who are vulnerable and/or experiencing poverty. Members from Mission Possible not only keep the plaza beautiful and clean, but also the HastingsSunrise neighbourhood.

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Restorative Justice Initiative Grows

New ways of addressing conflict in Vancouver are being created and nurtured – and Hastings Sunrise is in the forefront!

Since we first told Bulletin readers about Vancouver becoming a Restorative City in our Spring 2022 issue, large steps have been taken toward determining just what it would look like, starting in our community.

The vision is to have other processes beside police and courts involved in dealing with community conflict, harm and crime. To that end, an initiative has just launched and a cohort of local people are receiving training over the next few months to become “peacemakers”.

Three organizations are collaboratively leading this project: Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House, Hastings Sunrise Community Policing Centre (HSCPC), and Peace of the Circle, which is the coordinating host organization of Vancouver becoming the first Restorative City in Canada. 

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Baby Powder Reveals Career Choice  –

When Hastings Sunrise Community Policing Centre (HSCPC) volunteer Kajol Gounder was five years old, she put the accessories for her doll to good use. She got out baby powder and a small brush, not to pamper her baby doll, but to comb through her family house to collect fingerprints.

Fast forward two decades and Kajol is a lot closer to achieving her lifelong dream of becoming a forensic identification specialist. She graduated from BCIT with a degree in Forensic Science before being hired by the Vancouver Police Department as a Special Municipal Constable (SMC) earlier this year.

As a graduated SMC, she is currently employed in three different sectors: as a jail guard, in traffic authority and as community safety personnel.

“I enjoy working in community safety because I get to create a professional network that will further my career. Recently, I applied as a full-time jail guard because I’m planning to pursue a policing career and apply as a full member. This position will help me obtain the needed experience,” says Kajol.

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ICBC Provincial Impaired Driving Campaign  –

ICBC has teamed up with police, urging drivers to be responsible and plan ahead for a safe ride home this holiday season.

At this time of year, impaired driving is a serious concern in our province. It remains one of the top three contributing factors for fatal crashes in B.C. – claiming the lives of 61 people every year.

However, impaired driving crashes are completely preventable. By choosing a safe ride home, you’re helping to keep our roads safer for everyone, including yourself and your passengers.

If your holiday plans involve alcohol or other drugs, plan ahead to get home safe. Use a designated driver, call a taxi or rideshare, or take transit.

#GetHomeSafeBC 

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