BEYOND DRUGS, VIOLENCE ON THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE

New Photo Exhibit Is A Colourful Glimpse Into The World Of People Who
Have Reclaimed Their Lives And Who Offer Hope For The
Neighbourhood

A pet rat scurries in and out of Robin Savard's hoodie as the Downtown
Eastside resident stands beside colour photographs of his struggle to
lead a productive life after years of drug addiction.

The portraits show Savard, 49, designing a motorized bike on a laptop
computer, pushing a floor polisher, and fondly holding Bijoux, his
rat.

"She's my little girl," said Savard of the affectionate rodent.

Savard and 11 other people who live in the Downtown Eastside are the
subjects of a new photo exhibit Real People, Real Lives, being
exhibited in the Rotunda of the Pacific Centre and online at
www.realpeoplereallives.ca.

Savard began using heroin while working as a drywaller at construction
sites in Vancouver and Whistler. He lost his career and most
everything else to addiction. Savard moved to the Downtown Eastside
and came to believe he'd never work again.

Three years ago, Savard quit his heroin habit, enrolled in a methadone
program and gradually put his life back together. He now works as a
janitor at the Orwell Hotel, a single-room-occupancy hotel run by BC
Housing. He also designs and makes motorized bikes from spare parts.

Savard is proud of the images. "I think that people need to see that
the Downtown Eastside isn't just violence and drug abuse. People go
through hard times and good times.

"But you have to have faith and focus on the happy side and give a
good example."

The photo exhibit was conceived by Janice Abbott, executive-director
of the Atira Property Management Inc. Atira manages many of the
single-room-occupancy hotels -- or SROs -- purchased last year by the
provincial government.

"I wanted to document the transition these hotels were going through
from derelict crime-ridden hotels to being renovated buildings with
staff who care," recalled Abbott.

"And it ended up being a story about real people who have
relationships, friendships, Thanksgiving dinners and jobs to go to
every day."

BC Housing agreed to finance much of the project, and freelance
photographer Michael Bednar was hired to shoot the portraits.

"What I really wanted to do was show individuals. We've all seen black
and white photos of people shooting up in alleyways," said Bednar.

"And I wanted the photos to be in colour to show that there is life in
this community and that these are individuals with normal lives even
if they have problems."

Among the 12 people photographed by Bednar is Rogan Sinclair, who
manages and lives at The Heatley, a SRO hotel, with his partner and
their two children.

"I think it's a good idea to tell people's stories. The perception of
the area is what people see on the street: lots of drugs and booze.
But behind the scenes are lots of good people trying to get their
lives together."

Mayor Gregor Robertson came to the launch of the exhibit Friday. He
said the Pacific Centre Rotunda, at the centre of Vancouver's business
district, is an appropriate venue.

"It's really important that stories about the Downtown Eastside are
told through the rest of the city," said Robertson.

"This exhibit is telling stories about people who've reclaimed their
lives -- and it gives Vancouverites a chance to understand more layers
of reality in the Downtown Eastside."