Jul 31, 2026
For the fourth post in my series about London’s Old East Village (OEV), I sat down with Sarah Campbell, Executive Director of Ark Aid Street Mission. We met at Dough EV—another of the many “must-visit” places that make this neighbourhood so unique.
While each post in this series has acknowledged the social challenges that are plainly visible in OEV, none has been about those challenges. Instead, they’ve explored the stories of longtime and newer business owners, along with my own reflections from spending time in the neighbourhood. Each conversation has challenged my assumptions and deepened my understanding of this remarkable community.
Episode 1: Steve’s Kickoff to the OEV Series
Episode 2: OEV Longtime Business Owner
Episode 3: OEV New Business + Property Owner
My conversation with Sarah was an opportunity to address what many would call “the elephant in the room.” There were no “gotcha” questions. From the outset, I told Sarah I wanted an honest conversation about Old East Village—its strengths, its struggles, and the role Ark Aid plays within the neighbourhood.
The result was a thoughtful and candid discussion.
As Sarah showed me around Ark Aid, I saw the outdoor gathering space her team created in response to concerns from nearby businesses and residents. She showed me the memory garden honouring clients whose lives have been lost. I watched people arriving throughout the day seeking food and life’s basic necessities.
It’s impossible to experience that without coming away with mixed emotions. We have failed too many members of our community who have fallen into these circumstances. At the same time, we are also failing the businesses, residents, and visitors who want Old East Village to thrive and be celebrated for everything it has to offer.
Two moments especially stood out for me. First, the dramatic increase in the number of people turning to Ark Aid since the pandemic. Second, how quickly challenges grow when there is a widening gap between what people need and what our community is able to provide.
From the beginning, my goal with this series has been to tell the story of Old East Village from many perspectives—to celebrate what makes it special while resisting the temptation to look for simplistic solutions to complex problems.
Even with those complexities, I believe there are practical, tangible actions we can take to strengthen this neighbourhood.
In my final post, I’ll share what I believe those actions are, drawing on the conversations and experiences of the past few weeks—and perhaps a few lessons from my own 40 years in community development.
I hope you enjoy this latest edition of Steve’s Reflections. More than that, I hope it encourages you to see Old East Village through a broader lens.
And I hope you’ll join the conversation because communities don’t change when we simply observe them. They change when we decide to invest in them.
ADVERTISEMENT
Steve’s Reflections is sponsored by Old East Village BIA
Supporting independent local journalism in our community.
Please note: It is The Loon’s Policy that all editorial content is independent of any and all sponsors.
The Loon (London Ontario Online News) lineup
New content every day
We’re teaming up to send you a new feature every weekday:
Monday - Buckle Up - podcast with Matt Brown, SPONSORED BY HAMILTON ROAD BIA
Tuesday - Tour with Cedric Richards - SPONSORED BY LONDON BICYCLE CAFÉ
Wednesday - City Hall Notes by Mike Donachie - SPONSORED BY SPERO LAW
Thursday - the Forest City Arts and Culture Roundup by Diana Tamblyn - SPONSORED BY DOWNTOWN LONDON
Friday - Reflecting - with Steve Cordes SPONSORED BY OLD EAST VILLAGE BIA
And free on Fridays: the ROUNDUP, briefing you on the stories you need to know, gathered in one place. Regular analysis of the issues affecting London and the region.
London Ontario Online News (The Loon) is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.