Foot traffic still down in Vancouver's Chinatown despite revitalization efforts, community leader says
Province, city and feds all committed money to revitalize historic district
The chair of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Vancouver's Chinatown says revitalization efforts are making the area cleaner, but pedestrian traffic continues to be down in the historic district.
Fred Kwok, who has seen the area change significantly over the last three decades, said that the pandemic and an associated uptick in public safety challenges have continued to depress foot traffic to the area, which has been designated a national historic site.
The province, city and feds all committed money to help revitalize the district in 2022 and 2023, amid concerns over graffiti and public violence during the pandemic.
And while Kwok says the neighbourhood has since become "neat and tidy" compared to previous years, the public safety challenges have caused many businesses, particularly restaurants, to close.
"Pedestrians on the street [are] way less compared with the past," he told CBC News on Tuesday. "Weekday, weekend, same thing."
While he says that one-time events certainly help make the area feel more vibrant, he has found that people hesitate to come back afterwards.
Seniors ask for more assistance
Vancouver's Chinatown is among many Chinatowns in North America experiencing a demographic shift, as gentrification, high rents and income inequality have led to many low-income residents, seniors and family businesses being forced out.
Sheng Lung Lee, a senior who lives in an affordable housing building in Vancouver's Chinatown, says many in his position have seen their children move away and are living on government assistance.
"I am renting here for a cheap price," he said in a Mandarin-language interview.
"Without it, I would have to pay between $800 to $1,000. I only get $1,500 from the government each month. How do I live?"
Kwok says that new developments in the neighbourhood will take a couple of years to pave the way for newer residents to populate the area.
"It's the people who make Chinatown vibrant," he said.
"Without the people, it doesn't matter how pretty you make the place look like; it's just not going to change anything."
The City of Vancouver has formed advisory panels with Chinatown residents and facilitated decades of revitalization efforts in the area.
Kwok applauded the effort being put in but acknowledged it's difficult to forecast how things will turn out for the neighbourhood.
With files from Akshay Kulkarni and Pinki Wong