Controversial Development Yet to be Decided

The condo project is right next to Chinatown Memorial Plaza

The fate of the plot of plot of land in Vancouver's Chinatown that has divided the neighbourhood, will not be known until June 12.

On Monday evening, 70 people signed up to speak for or against the proposal on 105 Keefer Street to build 111 luxury condos on nine floors right next to the Chinatown Memorial Plaza. Some 20 still have yet to give their say.

Most of the people who spoke in the City of Vancouver development permit board hearing that lasted almost two hours beyond the scheduled time, were against the project.

Seniors want affordable housing on that land

Beedie Holdings bought the property, currently a parking lot, 10 years ago. Twice it went to the permit board hearing, the first time its plans for the building were criticised for being too tall, and then in 2017 it was shorter, but was resoundingly rejected.

Now it is back to the permit hearing board again -- with no changes to the plans. 

Seven Chinatown groups are for the project including the Chinatown Business Improvement Association, saying post-Covid it is time to get any kind of economic stimulation in the neighbourhood. They believe having these condos will bring at least 111 more people into the area and patronising the businesses in the area.

However, those against complained the condos should not be for the wealthy but social housing for the elderly, as inflation has made it harder for them to afford rent and food. Meanwhile others claimed the design was not culturally appropriate for the area, as it is near the Chinese Cultural Centre and Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.

Lily Tang, 80, arrived in Chinatown in 1968, and has lived in her social housing building for about 25 years. She says life in Canada is becoming more unaffordable.

The fate of the land to be decided on June 12

"We are not against constructing this building, but it's looking at our needs," Tang said days before the hearing. "The last several years the government hasn't built much housing for us. There used to be a bit, but now governments just give lip service."

Russell Chiong, president of Chinatown Today agrees. 

"There is no affordable or seniors housing and no safeguards against gentrification. It would just do irreversible damage to the sense of place and community vibrancy of Chinatown," he said of the proposal.

Even people who lived in neighbourhood who are not Chinese also told the hearing they did not want to see luxury condos built there, and felt strongly for the unique character of the area to remain.

Meanwhile, Rob Fiorvento, managing partner at Beedie, said last week that the development will bring much needed mixed-use housing to the area, which is aligned with the city's goal of making the historic community prosperous again.

However, Fred Mah, founder of the Chinese Community Centre and an elder activist for Chinatown, said at the hearing he met with Beedie, but they agreed to disagree. They could not come to any compromise and so he does not support the proposal, saying it is not culturally appropriate nor does it cater to seniors.

But now that the City of Vancouver is pushing for market housing as a priority, it may be that the Beedie plan will be given the green light. It's also interesting that people who were against the project in 2017 have changed their minds even though the plan hasn't been modified in the last five years...

More Money to Revitalise Vancouver's Chinatown

More provincial funding will help revitalise Chinatown

Vancouver's Chinatown's appearance has dramatically improved since the city last month cleared out all the tents where homeless people lived, and stepped up cleaning the streets more often. 

Back alleys which used to be strewn with trash and human waste are practically clear of garbage, and sidewalks are pretty spotless.

And now the province is chipping in C$2.2 million to fix up the neighbourhood, from storefronts to the Chinese Cultural Centre which have been covered in graffiti and damaged by vandals.

Lee (second left), and Eby, (fourth to left)

The announcement was made by BC Premier David Eby, who says the new funding will help Chinatown "realise the clear plan that this community has to revitalise the neighbourhood for residents, for visitors, and for businesses."

The money is going towards the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation of which Carol Lee is the chair. She said the announcement is a "turning point" for the neighbourhood because it creates a catalyst for sustainable economic revitalisation, signalling to visitors that Chinatown is once again "the place to be."

However, while some business owners in the neighbourhood are grateful for the financial injection, they think more needs to be done in terms of safety, as there are still homeless people occupying their storefronts or making visitors feel uneasy and as a result don't want to stay long.

Cruise ship season has started, but these Chinatown business owners say tourists aren't coming to the area, but to Gastown instead, because they have heard of the safety issue in the news or through word of mouth.

Hopefully people's perception of Chinatown will change soon, and there are also other initiatives to bring more people into the area, like parking meters on the street will charge C$2 an hour starting on June 1.

I visit the neighbourhood once a week and the area is grappling with how it should move forward. There is no question that business owners and residents want to keep Chinatown going, but how? There are issues of gentrification, keeping legacy businesses open, and getting the next generation to come down to Chinatown more often and patronise shops.

Tent encampments are gone, some people remain

But first the issue of safety needs to be tackled and that means finding social housing for the homeless -- if they want it, and helping them get treatment if they want to wean themselves off drugs. It's a complicated set of problems, but when six people die per day from drug overdoses, it's an issue that can't be overlooked. 

Sadly successive governments, municipal, provincial and federal have ignored the problem for decades and now here we are. Hopefully this problem will finally be sorted otherwise Chinatown is going to continue to hang by a thread through no fault of its own.

Feds Inject $1.8M to Beautify Vancouver's Chinatown

When will the crowds return to Chinatown, not just for CNY?

After Vancouver's mayor announced the city will spend CAD$2.1 million to clean up Chinatown, which has deteriorated in recent years with vandalism, graffiti and homeless people as well as drug addicts hanging out in front of businesses, the federal government is pitching in to beautify the neighbourhood.

Today Harjit Saijan, minister responsible for the Pacific economic development agency of Canada pledged CAD$1.8 million to fix up shop fronts with signage and awnings, add planters and flower boxes, install energy-efficient lighting, and modernise buildings such as the Chinese Cultural Centre, The Chinatown Storytelling Centre and Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Gardens.

Lee (left) talks to Saijan at announcement today

About CAD$500,000 of the money will also be plowed into the Light Up Chinatown festival held in September that will bring 50 new jobs. 

Carol Lee, chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, says the federal funding marks a "turning point for the neighbourhood," but notes that though it is a step in the right direction, it is "not the solution."

"There has been a significant increase in graffiti and vandalism, a steep rise in anti-Asian racism, random attacks on our seniors, [and] a rise in property crime, which has made Chinatown a place that people no longer feel safe to come to," Lee said.

She added the financial injection by the federal and municipal governments provide the basis for a "renewed economic vitality,"

The foundation applied for and was granted the funding through the federal government's PacifiCan Tourism Fund, which launched in the summer of 2021 and provides CAD$500 million over two years to help tourism businesses and organisations.

Liu hopes more will be done to help Chinatown

For William Liu of Kam Wai Dim Sum, the help can't come soon enough. "We are struggling and fighting for our lives," he says. 

"I understand the direction they are going, but it's just not enough for us. We really need a lot more support at this point. There are still a lot of people living on the streets that we really need help with."

Joey Wong of Dollar Meat Store, which has been around for over 50 years, echoes in agreement. "We do need a lot more help in say helping the legacy businesses, or even opening up new shops in Chinatown."

While these businesses appreciate the governments' help, they hope it's just the beginning of Chinatown's revival.

Although it's good to get the money to clean up the neighbourhood and beautify it, what about tackling the real issue next door in the Downtown Eastside -- the homeless and drug addiction issue that's spilling over into Chinatown?

Graffiti is one of several issues in Chinatown

Who is going to roll up their sleeves and really fix this problem that has been left to fester for decades with more and more dangerous drugs like opioids?

Until that happens, Chinatown will continue to be subjected to vandalism, crime, graffiti, while faeces, urine and dirty needles are strewn on sidewalks despite the regular cleanups. New planters, signage and awnings are just going to be destroyed over and over again.

Chinatown Ally Retires

Mayor Sim poses with Johnson and his wife Brandy

On Monday I went to Chinatown and was eating lunch in The Boss cha chaan teng when I spotted Harold Johnson walking in and saying hello to a few people.

He's a security guard who has been a fixture in the neighbourhood for decades.

I only found out today that he retired, and the new mayor Ken Sim gave him a nice send off at City Hall with a cake.

Moments after he was attacked in August 

The 64-year-old Johnson was in the news this past summer when he was assaulted by a stranger at the Chinese Cultural Centre near East Pender and Columbia streets on August 12. 

The incident not only left the senior with a concussion and a broken nose and cheekbone, but he was also traumatised by the incident.

"I'm still having nightmares and headaches," he said recently in a media interview. "When I get a headache, it gets nasty."

Johnson had originally planned to retire next year, but the assault left him shaken and wants to prioritise his health and safety.

During his two decades of patrolling Chinatown, he has gotten to know the business owners in the area who will miss him dearly.

A sweet farewell for Johnson in City Hall

"Harold's been around forever. He knows everyone around here and everyone knows him," said pharmacist and Corning Drugs Chinatown owner David Wong. 

"He's always there for us, backing us up."

"He comes in a makes me smile everyday," added Tracy To of Forum Appliances.

"Everybody in Chinatown's family, we all work together," Johnson said.

His wife Brandy LaRocque Johnson says it's time for her husband to get out of Chinatown, which is a sad reality of the area, as homeless drug addicts nearby turn to petty crime and attacks on people to get cash.

Two Chinatown businesses managed to fundraise a total of CA$30,000 to pay for his medical costs.

Who will be the next Harold to help look over Chinatown? The neighbourhood badly needs any allies it can get.