by Nelle Oosterom
Vancouver's poorer residents have lost one of their civic champions. Jim Green, an outspoken former Vancouver city councillor and social justice advocate was both famed and infamous for his pugilistic rhetorical style. He died of cancer on February 28, 2012. In the October-November 2009 issue of The Beaver magazine, Jim Green figured prominently in the feature article "Saving Skid Row," by Christopher Pollon (photos by Venturi + Karpa). Pollon's article told the story of the once-glamorous, but now downtrodden hotels that dot Vancouver's notorious Downtown Eastside. In the article, Green argues that the hotels — and the heritage they represent — are worth saving.