William Chen grew up a few blocks from Chinatown.
As a kid, he used to visit the neighbourhood at least twice a week—to take kung-fu lessons, go to his father’s restaurant or see family friends. “Everything there is part of my childhood,” he said.
Last fall, Chen and Wilson Wong decided to invest in the future of Chinatown. They’re the new owners of Van Loc, a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) shop on 98 Street. The two friends and business partners took over the place when the original owners retired.
“We were looking for some way to contribute,” said Chen. “Profit is not our main goal. It’s really to help revitalize, to bring people into Chinatown.”
August 20, 2023 was Van Loc’s busiest day yet, with a steady lineup out the door from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shop was one of dozens of restaurants, businesses and vendors taking part in the Summer Festival on 98 Street, organized by the Chinatown and Area Business Association.
“At one point I had to actually lock the door so that my staff could take a break,” said Chen.
Hundreds of people attended the Summer Festival, a three-block celebration of art, culture, food and Chinatown. Red, orange and pink lions danced on stage. Calligraphers swirled brushes of ink on green paper. Martial artists twirled in the air. Speakers, including City Councillor Jennifer Rice, Senator Paula Simons and MLA Janis Irwin, gave brief speeches during the opening ceremony of the festival.
Christina Trang also spoke. She’s one of the co-chairs of the Chinatown and Area Business Association. Christina became an advocate for Chinatown in 2022, after her father Hung Trang was one of two men murdered in Chinatown. She talked about unity, perseverance and celebration.
“It’s such a joy seeing our community vibrant and alive,” said Christina.
“Let’s come together to celebrate our culture, heritage, and sense of community because that’s what these festivals are all about. They’re about preserving our history, supporting our present and fostering our future. Let’s ensure that this festival sparks the flame of rejuvenation and vibrancy in our Chinatown and keep this flame flickering brightly for years and years to come.”
Teaming up with the community
Several initiatives are underway to ensure the rejuvenation, vibrancy and safety of Chinatown, including the Healthy Streets Operations Centre (HSOC) and the Chinatown Recovery Fund.
As part of HSOC, community safety teams work in and around Chinatown, Kingsway and downtown Edmonton, connecting with communities to address safety issues.
These teams include Edmonton Police Service officers, City community peace officers and community safety liaisons,, paramedics from Alberta Health Services, community safety officers from Edmonton Fire Rescue Services and Government of Alberta Sheriffs.
They also make sure people in need are connected with community resources such as housing and health care, provided by social agencies such as Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society and Homeward Trust.
HSOC was formally launched in January. The $15.2 million pilot project is funded until the end of 2024.
Recovery fund
The City’s Chinatown Recovery Fund provided a $45,000 grant to support the Summer Festival. In total, the fund has awarded $1 million to 17 post-pandemic projects in 2022 and 2023.
These projects include cultural events, security upgrades and business initiatives such as:
• The Bamboo & Maple Festival, featuring seven days of seminars, workshops and live music, including performances by the Concordia Symphony Orchestra and Edmonton Chinese Philharmonica Association. The Alberta Chinese Cultural Society received a $10,000 grant to produce the event.
• Assisting small businesses and organizations to install security devices such as roll shutters, cameras and locks. More than $690,000 was awarded for these upgrades.
• A small-business competition organized by the Chinatown and Area Business Association. Four entrepreneurs will each receive a $40,000 grant to open a new business in Chinatown.
Other events
As successful as the Summer Festival was, businesses and organizations in Chinatown know they need to consistently find ways to attract more people to the area.
Dynasty Century Palace Restaurant, for example, organized its first Chinatown Comedy Night in June. Chinatown Greetings, run by Artists Emily Chu and Shawn Tse, put together a photo exhibition of Chinatown at the Hull Block on 97 Street in August.
The owners of Van Loc host car meet-ups, art markets and Dungeons & Dragons sessions in and around their shop. They’re also the co-organizers of Chinatown After Dark, a night market, along with members of YEG Chinatown Re:VITA, a grassroots initiative.
“It’s super important to have these events, because that’s how we get people coming into Chinatown,” said Chen. “Events are paramount, building relationships with all the business owners in the area is paramount. Everyone can band together.”
Editor’s note: the pic at the top of the post shows a lion dancing in the middle of a crowd in Chinatown on August 20, 2023.