African Descent Festival hoping to revive memory of Hogan’s Alley

.VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Members of Metro Vancouver’s fragmented African community are hoping this weekend will be the start of a new era.

The African Decent Festival wraps up at Thornton Park at around 10 p.m. with an estimated 1,000 people attending.

The festival’s Yasin Kiraga Missga says they’re focusing on the nearby historic Hogan’s Alley area — an African hub that was destroyed in the 70’s when the Georgia Viaduct came in.

“It resulted in the evacuation of hundreds if not thousands of African migrants,” he says. “This is event is to bring back that memory, that history, and to reclaim our community to be restored at Hogan’s Alley.”

The City of Vancouver is working on a plan to tear down the viaducts.

Kiraga Missga says they following the developments closely, including a possible tribute to Hogan’s alley.

He hopes to see the festival grow to a major international event over the next two to five years.

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