By David P. Ball
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In the latest harm reduction move that continues to put Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES) ahead of the rest of the country, a program for people with alcohol dependency in the DTES has opened the city's first outdoor park space dedicated to drinking responsibly.

The Community Managed Alcohol Program (CMAP) has been around for years, run by the Portland Hotel Society community services. It grew out of the Drug Users Resource Centre, as an urgently needed way to have people who consume dangerous alcohols such as hand sanitizer, mouthwash and rubbing alcohol to trade those in for beer and wine.

Then over the decade, it expanded from a trade-in program to a drinkers lounge where members could not only drink together safely, but also have access to medical care for complex conditions that often accompany alcoholism, as well as community and social supports.

Eventually, the Portland Hotel Society — which runs the CMAP program — realized it would be far cheaper to teach members of the program to actually brew their own alcohol on site.

That, according to PHS community engagement lead Russ Maynard in an interview with The Pulse on CFRO, turned into a long-running training and skills program that at once builds community, helps keep people safe from dangerous "non-beverage alcohols," and has fostered a strong community through its Brewers Coop.

Last week, the program took its next big step: it got unanimous city council approval to open an outdoor parklet in the lot next to its Princess Street location so people can drink together safely during COVID-19, when being indoors for long periods of time is risky. So far, it's been a success, and they plan to install shrubs and planters around the area and make it a welcoming space for anyone to drink during opening hours.