The following is a press release from the Youth Collaborative for Chinatown :
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
105 Keefer Undermines Chinatown Revitalization Efforts
Reimagining Keefer & Columbia in Vancouver Chinatown
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Chinatown community members agree with Beedie Living and Merrick Architects. The site at Keefer and Columbia presents “an excellent opportunity to revitalize the urban fabric and pedestrian experience in the area through public realm improvements” (Letter of Intent, 105 Keefer + 544 Columbia Rezoning application). However, the developer’s proposal at 105 Keefer continues to undermine this opportunity and Chinatown revitalization efforts. Its luxury condos are exact opposite to the unique cultural experiences that define the area.
Youth Collaborative for Chinatown (YCC) turned Columbia Street into a temporary public plaza to talk about public space and its role in celebrating sense of place, through funding provided from a City of Vancouver VIVA Refresh grant. People identified the need for expanded and permanent space to sustain year-round cultural activities, citing the Chinese New Year Parade, Chinatown Night Market, Chinatown Festival, and Remembrance Day ceremony as major public activities that bring thousands of people to the area annually. People also recognized the opportunity to improve connectivity between existing cultural assets at Keefer & Columbia to create an exciting new gateway into the neighbourhood, following the removal of the viaducts and renewal of Northeast False Creek to the south.
“It’s Placemaking 101”, says Doris Chow, co-founder of YCC. An alternative vision for the Keefer & Columbia junction (attached) was created with support from students of the UBC School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP) program, based on experiences community members said are what make Chinatown special. It embodies values around celebration, serenity, history and playfulness that have been lacking in new developments in the area, including proposals for 105 Keefer.
“We were inspired by Chicago’s Chinatown that has pursued a different kind of development,” says Chow. “Their investment in the public realm and public amenities has resulted in the growth and flourishing of their community, when the majority of North American Chinatowns are in decline. In contrast, Vancouver City staff’s review of Chinatown’s current development policies is really only adjusting design guidelines and zoning, which are insufficient tools to use for addressing issues of cultural heritage or neighbourhood character. This is something we’re seeing across the city, not just in Chinatown.”
Youth Collaborative for Chinatown is a grassroots volunteer group that shares the cultural heritage of Vancouver’s Chinatown through public space activation and programming, including the “Hot+Noisy” Chinatown Mahjong Social series.
Share: 
