I am pleased to announce that my project “Changing Squamish” was a recipient of the annual community grant from the Squamish Art Council. This project is a collection of photographs that document the gentrification and ongoing changes that Sḵwx̱wú7mesh has or is undergoing. Having been around long enough to remember Squamish as a quiet town where loggers outnumbered the recreationalist and Dairy Queen was the to go place on the main drag, in the last decade specifically, the changes began. At a rate faster than anyone likely expected, Squamish morphed from a quiet, affordable town, to one of …
Changing Squamish
Art is a powerful tool to share the beauty and fragility of the world and to bring awareness to the difficult political, economic and social issues of our time. This page is an accumulation of writings and photos that are part of a project titled “Changing Squamish'' which is an ongoing photography documentation of the gentrification that Sḵwx̱wú7mesh has and is undergoing.
Understanding the suckiness behind Squamish Camping bylaw
Homeless and nomadic people have historically been labelled with a social identity that has restricted their access to land and rights to live as free and equal citizens. According to Pivot Legal, by the 1700s, sleeping anywhere but in designated housing was considered a crime and offenders were penalized through punitive bylaws or by targeting behavioural offences. At the heart of the issue is land access, economic factors, and processes of othering. This ideology of exclusion is reflected in Squamish’s new camping bylaw which is branded as part of the “tourism management scheme.” While this …
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The Surveilled Life of a Squamish Vehicle Resident
Hidden. That's how I must live these days. Or as one city councillor calls it, “flying under the radar”. My need for discretion lies in my choice of home: A beige minivan called ‘Incognito’. It is like any other van until you peer into the windows. Then all is revealed - a bed, stove, shelves full of clothes and food… My vehicle is my home on wheels which essentially means I rely on public lands. To avoid confrontation, a possible ticket, or risk adding myself to the District's data of illegal campers, I must escape the watchful eyes of concerned citizens and bylaw. Like most towns these …
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Changing Squamish – Introduction
It was the summer of 2001. I had just arrived to make Squamish my stomping ground, 100% inspired by the magical combination of mountain, ocean and world class climbing. It had a small town feel and, though a climber, I felt somewhat an outsider. Some locals stared at me as I walked down the main street of Cleveland. My climbing attire didn’t quite fit into the local style of lumberjack, plaid and jeans. Squamish has since undergone numerous changes regarding its culture and environment. I had imagined capturing these changes on film before they were gone forever but this thought remained just …