CHEAPSKATES UPDATE
What has happened to Cheapskates since we wrote about their city-induced dilemma on January 20th?
Why, absolutely nothing.
Speaking with owner, Barry Gilpin, yesterday we learned the following. (God forbid, the Press, which was all over this story last month, should follow up on anything.)
The City has quietly muttered apologies and assurances that Cheapskates won't really have to close, that Cheapskates won't really have to fingerprint and photograph and take urine and DNA samples from everyone who gives them a pair of old hockey gloves to re-sell.
All of which is to the good.
But what the city hasn't done is told Cheapskates on what legal grounds they may continue to operate.
Thus, the bicycle shop at the corner of Dunbar and 17th, which will soon have to move to make way for a dangerous and badly run drug residence housing program (translate, more corral than program), now faces the difficulty of signing a new 5 year lease with a landlord somewhere in the 'hood when it doesn't really know its future!
Isn't The City a marvel of professionalism and good management?
6 comments:
At the recyclers they have 2 rules re metal which people are now stealing because it is valuable. You have to show ID and they will not purchase from anyone on a bicycle.
Hey Bob,
Thanks for the comment.
At Cheapskates, if you leave a bicycle with them to sell, they take your name, address, and phone number, and only if and when they sell your bike, do they them MAIL you a CHEQUE.
So this is hardly the pawn shop setting. And Barry has been doing this very much on the up and up for 20 years now, with no untoward moments.
Yesterday, we bought a great used bike (15 forward gears and all) for $50.
Cheers!
David,
This is GREAT news. Thank you for the update!!
I loved Bob's comment about used metal and sellers on bicycles. Is it only recently that the powers at be realized that such a person just MIGHT have stolen it?!?
What a crazy world we live in!
Robert
P.S. Now that the Anna Nicole drama is over with, what am I do with my time?!?
Robert,
Who did it? Was it Larry King?
I think I missed something here...are they realy putting a
drug reswidency housing program there ..at 17 th and Dunbar ?
You are kidding about that arn't you ...say it isn't so David say it isn't so....
http://www.turnercom.com
Yes, it is true.
No, I am not kidding.
The City of Vancouver, in all of its collected wisdom (about which more on tomorrow afternoon's blog)announced some months ago that it taking over the property from 16th to 17th along the east side of Dunbar to build a housing project for Addicts and mentally ill and so called "dual diagnosis" people. All of which would be fine if it were anything more than a holding pen without program or recovered or recovering peer group addicts and others who could actually help. Instead, it will be staffed by comically
designated "professional staff," who typically couldn't find their ass without a compass in the dark.
This is part of the Owen, Campbell legacy which believes firmly in the notion of spreading the sickness around.
Certainly some people in the 'hood who have vocally opposed this disaster can be fairly accused of the customary knee-jerk NIMBYism; but just as many are well-informed concerned citizens who recognize a carreening bus when it is racing towards them.
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