Over the course of a week, a group of Trinity Western University (TWU) students surveyed over 200 residents and business owners of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Their goal – to gather opinions about the potential impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics on the neighbourhood and surrounding areas.

The students asked residents nine questions ranging from potential employment and volunteer opportunities during the games to benefits for Downtown Eastside residents and improved housing. They asked if residents felt that the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) was trying to improve conditions in the community, or if new initiatives such as purchasing more SROs (Single Residency Occupancies), the re-opening of Riverview Hospital and keeping the safe injection site open, were a better way to protect tourism and give a more favourable impression oaf Vancouver.

Finally, the survey asked for input and suggestions on what VANOC could do to include residents and business owners in the Games.

"The results of the survey were very surprising," said TWU professor Claudia Launhardt. "Firstly, the majority of Downtown Eastside residents do not oppose the Olympics but instead are quite open to the games, unlike what the general assumption has been."

Launhardt adds that residents also indicated a desire to contribute to the event. While they were less interested in volunteering, residents were interested in putting the skills they had to work on projects ranging from garbage and recycling collection to food services.

For the full results of the "Survey on Volunteer Engagement and the Impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics", visit http://www.twu.ca/2010survey.

The students, including Kengo Isheda and Mona Shokohi, were participating in an anthropology course on sustainable urban development, taught by TWU professor Claudia Launhardt.

Kevin Terpstra, a recent graduate of TWU in religious studies and who also took part in the course says, "For the most part, they (people in the downtown eastside) were okay with the Olympics but they feel neglected. While they are excited about the event they recognize that no one really cares about them as individuals and they can see through the fake attempts governments and groups have made."

Launhardt, an expert on the homeless in Vancouver, was originally approached by VANOC and asked how the Olympics might involve Downtown Eastside residents. She suggested that before a government body came up with ideas, it should first consult the residents and ask what they had in mind.

When the initiative changed course, Launhardt decided to continue with the survey, knowing the potential the results would have for both the Downtown Eastside residents and VANOC.

The group submitted their findings to Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Olympic and Paralympics Operations with the City of Vancouver and VANOC.