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August 23, 2016 @ 6:00 am
Totems of the Balmoral Hotel
Danny Dennis was an Indigenous artist from the Kispiox Valley. Living and working in the DTES. In the 1980s, he painted three totem poles on the support pillars of the Balmoral Hotel, located at 159 East Hastings Street. To this day, two of the totem poles are still standing. Sadly, Danny passed away on May 29, 2012, but his artwork still stands as testament to his resilience as a person and artist.
In early 2016, three of Danny’s friends — Jo McRobb, Barbie Wallace, and Tom Detlor – came together and decided to find a way to preserve this hidden treasure of the Downtown Eastside (DTES). We took photographs of the two remaining poles in April and May, which had survived the years of water damage and graffiti. However, in early June, the ceiling of the Balmoral pub collapsed and the pub was closed. We have no information about when or if the pub will be renovated and if the poles will be saved.
We are excited to present Totems of the Balmoral Hotel with the support of the Vancouver Foundation the Neighbourhood Small Grant and Greenest City Community Grant!