Vancouver’s Chinatown is enjoying a quiet renaissance

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In the not-too-distant past, a strip of neon signs signaling bustling nightlife, coupled with the aromatic scent of roast pork, star anise and ginger, lured visitors to Vancouver’s Chinatown eager to experience its flavors. , images and sounds. As busy as this vibrant neighborhood was in its heyday, its attraction as a tourist destination has waned in recent decades.

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But this iconic Canadian community has received a cultural injection with the arrival of the Chinatown Storytelling Centre. The first permanent space of its kind in Canada, it shares not only the history and stories of early Chinese immigrants, but also their perseverance, which played a crucial role in building Canada’s nation.

Rather than the typical artifact-crammed museum, the personal stories of more than 100 Chinese Canadians are traced through interactive kiosks, exhibits and programming. Enter the Yocho Chow Photo Studio and have your picture taken, just as thousands of faces from marginalized communities have done over the decades. Here in the 21st century, however, you will receive a digital postcard.

Dial a number inside the Pagoda phone booth and stories of hope and sacrifice will be revealed in English and Cantonese. The tales alternate between heartwarming and harrowing, but at the core of the entire experience is a celebration of the powerful resilience of Sino-Canadian travel.

The opening of this cozy space is timely, considering the misguided and anti-Chinese sentiment caused by COVID-19. The Center explores the broader context of the Chinese community in Canada, providing a perspective for the dialogue around immigration, racism, and community building.

“It’s a place where little-known stories are shared, and by bringing them together, we see the significant impact this community had on the future of Canada. It’s a great story, but not a well-known one,” says Carol Lee, chairwoman of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation board of directors.

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After visiting downtown, I seek solace in the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Classical Chinese Garden, but only a few blocks away. Amidst the winding paths and delicate foliage, I am reminded of the inclusion of the Vancouver Chinatown community with the garden’s latest exhibit, Gaze into the Sun.

An exchange of bold paintings between Lam Wong, a Chinese Canadian artist from Hong Kong, and Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, an artist of Cowichan and Syilx First Nations descent, the exhibition reveals the interconnectedness of people, places, and culture.

From the garden, it’s a 20-minute walk to where I’m staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. While this luxury hotel isn’t located in Chinatown, the lobby’s installation of larger-than-life white rabbits and dozens upon dozens of Chinese lanterns, created to honor the Mid-Autumn Festival, demonstrates in a thoughtful yet elegant way how Vancouver doesn’t. he simply accepts his multicultural status, embraces it.

The next morning, I hide from the rain within the serene confines of CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La. Was it the spa’s Asian-inspired décor that once again drew me back to Chinatown? No, not really.

It was that semi-conscious state that I dozed into during my facial where you let your mind wander. Mine took me back to what it must have been like for Chinese workers to complete the Canadian Pacific Railway (a Confederate condition), only to be casually scrapped when the job was done.

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Fast-forward a century and privileged informal economy workers like myself head to Vancouver for luxury hotel stays and spa treatments as rewards for working hard on our laptops.

Unable to resist the pull any longer, I make my way back to Chinatown, and I’m glad I did. The Chinatown Storytelling Center is just one part of the larger cultural revitalization taking place here. Creative types from neighboring communities and abroad are being drawn back to the neighborhood.

“Chinatown is a mix of old Vancouver with new young minds. It is vibrant and challenging. It’s a place we wanted to open, a community we wanted to work with and people we wanted to be a part of,” says Juke co-owner Justin Tisdall.

I wasn’t expecting to eat fried chicken with crispy skin and melt-in-your-mouth corn fritters in Chinatown, but Juke serves up some of the best Southern-inspired dishes in town.

Next door is Chickadee, a brand new concept for Vancouver, reintroducing those lively nights of yesteryear with a twist. Their contactless choose-your-own-cocktail experiences allow guests to reserve and personalize their drinks.

Sipping my shot of poppyseed-infused gin, I realize I’ve barely scratched the surface of this rugged neighborhood, but reflecting on its past, its future looks bright.

—Jody Robbins

Publisher’s note: This story came before new restrictions were introduced across the country to slow the spread of COVID-19. Check provincial websites before making future travel plans.