A motion to rename the City of Vancouver’s first legal graffiti wall in honour of Downtown Eastside (DTES) advocate and artist Trey Helten will be considered by council at the Standing Committee meeting on May 21.
Helten, who spearheaded council’s May 2021 approval of the city’s inaugural painting wall in the back lane of 133 West Pender Street, died suddenly on April 22 at the age of 42.
In his motion titled ‘Honouring Trey Helten: Renaming “Ashtrey Alley”’, COPE Coun. Sean Orr said DTES community members are already informally calling the alley between Hastings and Pender which connects Cambie and Abbott Street “Ashtrey Alley” in memory of Helten, whose nickname was ‘Ashtrey’.
“Trey Helten was a beloved harm reduction advocate in the Downtown Eastside who was known for his tireless work to help others, fight stigma against drug users, and who saved hundreds of lives,” reads Orr’s motion.
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Helten, who battled addiction before spending several years in recovery, is credited with …