The fall rains have come, the flowers have faded, and the leaves have all but fallen from the trees… but we wanted to let you know about a fantastic guerilla gardening project that took place earlier this summer.

On the morning of Sunday July 8 2007, a long stretch of floral graffiti appeared on the green space below the Georgia Viaduct at the corner of Main St. and Union St. A team of workers, known as the Vancouver Flower Brigade (VFB) and captained by local artist Lauren Marsden, planted over 2000 red impatiens to spell out the phrase, “HOGAN’S ALLEY WELCOMES YOU”

The text served to beautify a neighbourhood which has been subject to an onslaught of redevelopment and construction. It also commemorated the former site of Hogan’s Alley which was the first and last neighbourhood in Vancouver with a substantial concentrated black population. The flowers are situated exactly where the alley used to be. Most of Hogan’s Alley was destroyed circa 1970 when the City raised the area to enable construction of the Georgia Viaduct. It now exists only on the periphery of public memory.

For more information or pictures >> contact Lauren Marsden, mars.lauren | at | gmail.com or laurenmarsden.com) or the Hogan’s Alley Memorial Project (www.hogansalleyproject.blogspot.com)