Vancouver's Chinatown and Granville Street to have dedicated renewal projects

Two historic Vancouver districts will be the focus of dedicated planning projects soon, as the city looks to honour the heritage of Chinatown and the Granville Entertainment District.

Vancouver city council will vote on kickstarting both the Uplifting Chinatown Action Plan and the Granville Street Planning Program next week, as council activity resumes after the winter break.

The revitalization projects come as city staff note concerns regarding "safety and public disorder concerns" in both districts and wider concerns around how the two neighbourhoods are to begin their economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Granville Street, staff note that the historic street is "challenged by a lack of daytime activity" and, on the flip side, "violence related to public intoxication" at night due to its reputation as a nightlife hot spot.

Meanwhile,  Chinatown has seen reports since the pandemic began of anti-Asian hate crimes and concern for vulnerable people being forced out of public spaces.

While some, including the Chinatown business improvement association (BIA), have decried a perceived rise in graffiti and petty crime in the neighbourhood, others have asked for more compassion to support seniors and drug users who live there.

Chinatown plan could result in tax increase

The proposed Chinatown action plan includes, among other things, a new city office in the neighbourhood to co-ordinate planning.

"To date, there has been limited co-ordination between the city's service delivery and community-led initiatives to ensure maximum impact in the neighbourhood," reads the city report.

When it comes to community supports, city staff say they want to continue existing supports while also supporting the BIA in implementing a "safe walk" program for those who may need accompanying.

There are also monetary commitments for expanding street cleaning and graffiti removal.

The report authors are also recommending 24/7 public washroom facility — the neighbourhood's first — at the intersection of Main Street and Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside.

According to the report, the policy would "help with the issues of feces in Chinatown while also providing benefits to the DTES."

City staff are recommending, in their report, that $2.1 million in incremental costs be included in the upcoming city budget discussions as part of the Chinatown action plan.

"If the initiatives identified in this report are approved, the property tax impact would be an additional 0.2 per cent and/or funding would need to be reallocated from other property tax-funded budget areas," reads the report. 

Councillors will vote on approving the initial stages of the Chinatown plan at a meeting Tuesday.

Granville Street and public displays

City staff say they want to establish the Granville strip as a destination for locals and visitors alike "with a diversity of attractions and public life offering for all people, including the most vulnerable groups and individuals."

While the report lacks the variety of policy options presented in the Chinatown report — the Granville Street plan is still sharpening its vision, according to staff — city staff note that they want to create the conditions for "a range of family-friendly, all ages, and adult-only cultural activities throughout the day."

There could also be a review of the city's sign bylaw to allow for more of Granville's distinctive neon signage, according to the report and a proposal to build more "place-making features" to highlight the history of the area.

Other options on the table include improving the "pedestrian and public realm experience" on the street, building off previous car-free days on the strip and encouraging more transit and patio infrastructure.

The report also notes that Granville Street houses the second-largest concentration of single-room occupancy (SRO) housing for low-income people and says the city would continue to work with higher levels of government on replacing them.

"In addition, opportunities to increase housing diversity will be explored in the southern portion of Granville Street and the surrounding shoulder areas," the report reads.

The initial portions of the Granville street renewal policies will be sent for council debate on Wednesday.