Chinatown in Canada's Vancouver struggles with change

The Chinatown in Canada's western coastal city of Vancouver, one of the oldest and most prosperous Chinatowns in North America, is struggling to keep its tradition while accepting new changes to avoid decline in status.

The Chinatown, appealing to visitors, artists around the world, is a place where one can sample Chinese delicacies and savor the rich ethnicity of a culture that has passed through generations.

However, a lot of traditional businesses are closing nowadays, thus making the town more alienated to some locals.

Kevin McNaney, Assistant Director of Planning of Vancouver, did a survey of businesses in the Chinatown several years ago. According to results of the survey, 70 percent of local businessmen said their businesses were declining and that they may not be in business within five years.

"The Chinese businesses are moving out. And what's happening is we need to think about what to do to maintain these Chinese businesses here. And that's the important thing, because Chinatown without the Chinese business, to me, is not actually a Chinatown," Fred Mah, a long-time resident and founding member of the Chinatown Society Heritage Buildings Association, told Xinhua.

To deal with the potential decline, Vancouver city has a revitalization plan for the Chinatown. As part of the scheme, the city is seeking to create a 36 million Canadian dollar (27 million U.S. dollar) fund to rehabilitate 12 buildings belonging to Chinese associations that have fallen into disrepair.

Mah told Xinhua that the program is a step in the right direction, but many of the businesses have already gone.

The plan aims to foster economic growth while maintaining the neighborhood's culture and history, but residents are still concerned whether these new changes will eliminate the culture and history that exist here.

When traditional businesses closed, new but non-Chinese businesses like Starbucks came in.

Besides, many residents here feel threatened by the construction of massive condo towers on edges of the Chinatown.

In one corner of the Chinatown, a new 12-story residential tower is being planned and debated. A portion of the building will be set aside for seniors.

The construction plan was really driving Chinatown to a direction that was not honoring the Chinatown's past and was threatening its future, said King-mong Chan, a Chinatown advocate.

Chan suggested that the city should purchase the property back and turn it into a community center, or develop it entirely into a low-income social housing.

McNaney said, "I understand the pace of change is always a concern, but we are monitoring it closely and ensuring that the Chinese seniors remain, that culture, strength and heritage is protected."

Meanwhile, opposite to those worried by the changes, many Chinese immigrants there welcome new projects and plans, which they believe will bring pride and be testament to the early Chinese's struggles and triumphs in Canada. Endi