A Syndicate of Gentlemen

No, its not the latest hype band out of Brooklyn, its the title of an article in this week's Courier. Its part of a series on Vancouver street names, and this entry deals with the group of land speculators that account for most of the street names in Strathcona. But it goes much deeper than toponyms, it traces the root of our city's East/West split.

As I understand it, there were basically two forces that shaped the future of Vancouver. The CPR, and the so called syndicate headed by realtors and developers. Included in this syndicate were Israel Wood Powell, Major Charles Thomas Dupont, and wholesale grocer David Oppenheimer. The group struck a deal with CPR to relocate the coast-to-coast terminus at Coal Harbour in exchange for land in what is known today as the West End. Because Gastown was already a booming milltown, the syndicate banked on the Eastward development of the new city. Although in retrospect the plan appears faulty, keep in mind that the original terminal city was Port Moody to the east, and the capital of BC was New Westminster. East was also the direction of the goldrush via the Yale Road. Furthermore, certain decisions determined the direction of growth therein, such as the placement of the first post office. The CPR's construction of the Hotel Vancouver further cemented the downtown core's placement.

To me, it is remarkable that the East/West split dates back to such origins. I always assumed it had more to do with the physical geography of the peninsula. One need only point to the beautiful beaches of English Bay and Kitsilano to predict where housing prices would be highest. But both beaches are in fact artificial, and its just as likely that there would be a similar beach along the south side of Burrard Inlet. Perhaps those early visionaries predicted that a Coal Harbour terminus would result in a more industrialized West End.

Many people often point out that the Downtown Eastside's drug problem originates due to its proximity to a major world port. I would also add that the Freeway creates a sort of localized inner city phenomenon, wherein commuters bypass the neighbourhood en route to the suburbs.

Of course, theses geographic factors are reinforced by economic ones. The Downtown Eastside didn't become the way it is based merely on land speculation. Cultural indicators might also be factored in, especially considering the plight of aboriginals. This form of institutionalized racism is deep seeded and as old as the city itself. Substance abuse statistics among Natives highlight a legacy of economic insecurity.

The fact that City Hall can be represented by politicians solely from the Westside is a relic of our at large electoral system. Indeed, the failure of the Wards initiative in a 2004 plebiscite only further illuminates the East/West split that was created so long ago.