The Great Beginnings Program: Old Streets, New Pride

British Columbia turned 150 years old in 2008. To celebrate, an initiative called Great Beginnings was created by the city and funded by provincial government. Over three years from 2008 to 2011, $10 million will be given to celebrate the history, heritage and culture of Vancouver’s first urban areas. Gastown, Chinatown, Japantown and Strathcona — often referred to collectively as the Downtown Eastside — are on the list for improvements. This is a unique opportunity to create a legacy in the area of improved physical, social, and economic conditions.

• 2008 Project Progress Report & Evaluation ( PDF 2.33mb)
• June 2009 Project Progress Report ( PDF 1.28mb)
• The Great Beginnings 2009 Year End Progress Report ( PDF 140 MB)

The overarching goal of The Great Beginnings Program is to enhance the community pride, livability, and public appeal of Vancouver’s first urban areas through improvements to the physical, social, and economic environments. To facilitate successful realization of this goal, the staff team has developed 5 program themes:

5 Great Beginnings Program Themes:

Public Space Improvements – physically improving public spaces such as parks, streets, sidewalks, and lanes.

Arts and Culture – expanding existing arts and cultural events through support and funding.

Community Living – making the neighbourhood more livable and getting more local residents involved in community activities.

Capacity-Building – raising the capacity of the community through project engagement, partnerships, and collaboration.

Community Pride – creating opportunities for DTES residents and businesses.

Comments or questions? Email Great Beginnings Vancouver

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