Gentrification of Chinatown

Gentrification

Gentrification is the classification of changes that is brought upon a community in hopes of creating optimal alterations for the residents in the area.The beneficial tendencies are to increase and improve housing quality and quantity, available occupation opportunities, generate revenue within the community. All of which would contribute to better quality of life and reduction to existing social issues, like crime and poverty. However, these benefits are exclustively experienced by those with higher social-economic status. While those belonging to the lower class standing ironically undergo negative connotations that gentrification was supposedly to tackle. Thus, over time, accumulating limitations, such as unaffordable housing and commercialization, that decreases available resources for the low-income population.

From herbal essence stores to supermarkets, they can all be found along the stripes of Chinatown, Vancouver

Chinatown Background

Chinatown was first established in the 1800s by a community of Chinese residents, many of which were railway workers. . It covered Carrall Street and Dupont Street, which was later renamed East Pender Street. Likewise with the other existing Chinatowns and other additional towns found throughout North America, its creation was due to the presence of discrimination felt by minority groups. It was a private and public space that allowed individuals to actively experience and exposed to their Chinese culture without any judgment. It is also a cultural space to express one's heritage. Chinatown became a community where Chinese residents felt a sense of belonging and identity. By the nineteenth century, Chinatown expanded to over four whole blocks and had 3,559 Chinese residents occupying the space, holding the largest amount of Chinese immigrants in Vancouver. Currently, Chinatown occupies ten blocks with 41 percent of the population being Chinese

Revitalization Plan

The plan was first introduced by the City as a means of preserving the Chinese heritage, increase attraction, and improve livability in Chinatown. The implementation is meant to be used as a guideline for policies and/or any discussions that is relevant to Chinatown's prosperity. Within the Revitalization plan, it incorporates two recommendations: Chinatown Neighbourhood Plan and The Economic Revitalization Strategy. In the Chinatown Neighbourhood Plan, it elaborates on five different areas:

1. Public Spaces and Streets - ensuring that Chinese festivities and activities are consistent to create a welcoming space for its residents and visitors
2. Land Use - integrate various uses of commercial and residential spaces to foster the activities held in the area
3. Heritage and Culture - maintaining the heritage buildings and culture centres to preserve the culture
4. Built Form and Urban Structure - increasing housing to improve livability and neighbourhoods
5. Community and Economic Development - revitalize tourism and businesses to increase the economy of the area

In The Economic Revitalization Strategy, its primary focus is improving the economic development through various strategies that are suggested by planners and Chinatown residents.

Criticisms

Many residents and activists proclaim that the revitalization plan is simply a plan for gentrification of Chinatown. Though the project expresses revitalization and preservation of Chinatown, Its main focus seemed to be on commercialization and condominium development, which leads to development similar to regions like Yaletown. With too much emphasis on the market-drive mindset, Chinatown may be leading to a more homogeneous community that will push out the population that resides in the area. Chinatown will end up losing its distinctive characteristics that differentiate with different areas. The Chinese heritage and cultural aspects will be replaced by westernized upper-class ideals. All in all, those against the project feel that the proposals does not reflect the values of the community. Chinatown is seen as a means of generating revenue, instead of building a community .

The visualization of the condonium that will be built on Keefer Street, Chinatown

Effects of Gentrification

Chinatown is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Vancouver, with a median income worth $17, 658, in comparison to the rest of the city ($47, 299). Furthermore, with the gentrification that exists in the area, long-time running businesses are out competed by larger corporations, leading to their closure. More than half of the businesses, especially the local supermarkets have since closed down. There is continuous fear for small businesses as rent increases as well as the number of empty lots that expand on the streets. Developers continue to buy out buildings that will replace older businesses with newer, westernized businesses, or demolish the whole structure and the sentimental value that may company it.

Chinatown was established based on the racism and discrimination felt as a minority group. The effects of gentrification lead to similar consequences as developers continue to push residents of Chinatown elsewhere. Chinatown is no longer an identity nor a community in which the residents can belong to. With larger companies buying out buildings and the condominium bloom, affordability in the district is no longer achievable. Therefore, the population is pushed into an abandonment of their own cultural identity that was once developed through Chinatown. All in which are to embody the westernization that reflects on the developers and government intentions and values.