The dead mall in Chinatown + Gain Wah update
Help reclaim the Chinatown Plaza Mall with Chinese School
The Chinatown Plaza Mall owned by City of Vancouver is one of the most underused and mismanaged spaces in Chinatown.
Earlier this year, the management called the police on seniors trying to do tai chi. The City’s Real Estate Department would rather leave it vacant so they can get top dollar on the leases. It’s empty most of the time, and gated at night. It’s absolutely maddening.
This mall is the only indoor city-owned spaces in Chinatown making it perfect for public community activities when the weather isn’t so great, but the City makes it virtually impossible to use. We’ve asked about hosting poetry reading and film screenings in the space, and every time the City says no. Even the Chinatown BIA has complained about the state of the mall.
Sure, Mayor and Council recently installed a new city office there (which by the way is usually empty, understaffed, or closed), but that’s not Chinatown revitalization at all.
The Chinatown Plaza Mall is civic-owned space with so much potential to play a big part in revitalizing Chinatown. Imagine:
Regular public community events in the mall, which other malls like Aberdeen and Brentwood would host to attract foot traffic for tenants
Culturally-appropriate and community-oriented retailers and restaurants as tenants
Now that would actually be authentic Chinatown revitalization.
Let’s take a first step in that direction by reclaiming the Chinatown Plaza Mall with culture and activity.
Join us this Saturday, Oct 21 2-4pm for lunch and a free Chinese lesson with Mark Lee. Everyone’s welcome!
We need your help to continue the events!
We’re short on funding to keep these community events going until spring. In order to fully fund the Fall to Spring season of events, we need to raise $8,500 and we’re nowhere close. Could you help? Make a donation to the community events fund. Thank you!
Gain Wah is now in public hands!
Thanks to the advocacy of our friends at the Gain Wah Project, Downtown Eastside Community Land Trust, and you, the provincial government through BC Housing has purchased the 48-unit Keefer Rooms that houses the old Gain Wah.
This means that much-needed low-income housing will get back online stewarded by community through the land trust, and the possibility of a new Gain Wah is even more real!
Upcoming Community Events
Chinese School Lunch and Learn (Sat, Oct 21 2-4pm at Chinatown Plaza Mall)
Sid Chow Tan archive film screening with Heart of the City Festival (Fri, Nov 3 6pm at Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main St)
Big Fight in Little Chinatown screening with Heart of the City Festival (Fri, Nov 3 7:30pm at Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main St)