HIDDEN GEMS OF CHINATOWN

Why are we collecting this information?We are asking for the community’s input on key cultural assets so we can understand:

1. Which places, experiences, values, andthings associated with Chinatown areimportant and valuable

2. How these gems contribute toChinatown’s cultural heritage andidentity

3. Where we are currently as a community,to inform future decision-making

We need your help!What is it that makes Chinatown such a special place? This is what we need to know so we can ensure these qualities are sustained into the future.

Help us identify the places, experiences, and values that make Chinatown special, especially the hidden gems that are not always visible or well known.

Your input will contribute to an inventory and map of what’s important in Chinatown, which will allow us to create a long-term management plan for the neighbourhood.

vancouver.ca/hidden-gems

CHINATOWN TRANSFORMATION

How to share your thoughtsWe are collecting input at engagement events throughout June and July in Chinatown. The cultural asset inventory and map will be made public at a later date.

Share online: vancouver.ca/hidden-gems

Visit one of the in-person engagement events listed on our website

Sign up to tell your Chinatown story

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These assets can be both tangible (things that can be touched or held), or intangible (things that are associated with a culture).

Intangible assets include:

• Traditions and customs (family trips to Chinatown, ancestral worship)

• Performing and visual arts (Chinese opera, lion dancing, kung fu)

• Festivals (Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn)

• Places and things that contribute to community identity (Hong Kong milk tea, Chinatown Memorial Square)

What is a cultural asset?A cultural asset is anything of value to our community, and can help us understand a community’s identity. They reflect the community’s culture, heritage, and values.

Tangible assets include:

• Buildings (Societies, heritage buildings)

• Artifacts (photographs, written records, cultural items like joss sticks)

• Streetscapes (narrow storefronts, neon signs, sidewalk displays)

How else can you contribute?This inventory and map can help draw attention to Chinatown’s gems, but you don’t need to wait to help sustain Chinatown’s legacy now.

These gems can only be sustained if we all continue to practice these traditions, frequent Chinatown, and be part of its safeguarding.

See our checklist for easy ways you can contribute today!

Raise awareness by talking to your family and friends about why Chinatown’s gems are important.

Participate in the community by volunteering with a local group, or starting your own initiative

Do your grocery shopping at small businesses in Chinatown.

Share the traditions, customs, and rituals that you know with others.

Ask your family members about their Chinatown stories!

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vancouver.ca/hidden-gems

CHINATOWN TRANSFORMATION