Former premier champions for fragile Chinatown

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A former premier says Vancouver’s historic Chinatown is teetering on the brink and one building plan in particular is causing some alarm.

Mike Harcourt says a high-end condominium proposal at 105 Keefer would tower over the area.

“It’s a huge bulky nine-story building right beside the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden of the Chinese Cultural Centre,” he said.

“Development should re-energize and revitalize Chinatown, but not overwhelm it. This building dwarfs all of the heritage buildings of the Chinese community along Pender Street and it’s just too much.”

Harcourt serves as chair for the Building Community Society (BCS) which is concerned that Chinatown’s cultural and historic character is at a fragile point. Harcourt said it takes a lot of pointed effort to fight a demise of Chinatown

“There’s $1 billion that’s been invested in transforming the Downtown Eastside into a place that is still available for the low income citizens, to not be pushed out and not have it become Yaletown East, and Chinatown is an important part of that.”

The society has penned a letter to Vancouver’s mayor and city councillors to vote against the proposal as is.

Previously, the Chinatown Historic Area Planning Committee (CHAPC) rejected the rezoning application.

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