The Waldorf

One of East Vancouver's cultural hubs is closing this month. The Waldorf will be closing its doors January 20th. It's a shame. The Waldorf has only been reopened for a couple of years and in those years it has created a great place to eat, dance, party, listen to local talent, look at art and even screen local films. Vancouver has been loosing its culture year by year. Last year alone we witnessed the last movie theatre on Granville Street close and one of the best theatre houses close, while other business tried to find new ways to bring people in.

We say we want local talent showcased but with venues closing how is that possible? This is in no thanks to our current city leaders. We should be focusing our efforts on culture, not bike routes. This part of the city is zoned for mix-use commercial purposes not condos. But in the last few months the Hastings and clark area, has had more and more residential developers plopping signs down advertising future condos. For example The Brave Bull House of Steaks, a restaurant that was frequented by port workers and still had $9.99 steaks was sold to developers. 

 May Robertson had this to say “The Waldorf closing is a big loss to Vancouver’s growing creative community … [The] city is exploring ways to support the Waldorf continuing as one of Vancouver’s most unique and vibrant cultural spaces.” But where was he when The Pantages was sold. That was the last vaudeville theatres from that decade in North America. But just because it was in the DTES nobody saved it. That was heritage. I hope someone from the city will speak up and stamp a heritage declaration on this site. The Waldorf's Tiki Bar had been around since the 1940s. The 1955 renovation of the 1947 structure is probably the oldest in existence in Western Canada.

As someone who was born in this city and has lived here my whole life I have seen what could of been a thriving culture turn into high rise condos. It's getting harder and harder for me to recommend fun cultural activities to tourists who are looking for "Vancouver" gems.