New non-profit asks city for $1.2M to revitalize Edmonton's Chinatown

Members of an economic task force in Edmonton's Chinatown are asking the city for $1.2 million to start a new non-profit in charge of revitalization and community engagement.

The new Chinatown Transformation Collaborative Society would use the money for office space and full-time staff, task force members told a meeting of city council's executive committee on Monday.

"We need revitalization and redevelopment badly in that area," Sandy Pon said Tuesday on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM. Pon, a real estate agent, is one of the Chinatown Economic Task Force members who went to city hall.

The new society would focus on daily community engagement something some stakeholders feel has been lacking in recent months, said Pon.

Back in the fall, Chinatown's business association fought unsuccessfully against the approval of three new safe injection sites in the area.Fall also saw the dismantling of Chinatown's iconic Harbin Gate to make way for LRT construction.

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A new non-profit could share local information with people and help start conversations with city officials, Ponsaid.

"It's been very hostile for the last little while, so having this entity will really heal some wounds and be able to provide a smoother dialogue, where people will not get so upset and antagonistic before they even come to a meeting," she said.

Society would be inclusive,informative

Though Chinatown has historical and cultural significance to Chinese-Canadians in Edmonton, Pon said the new society would aim to reflect the district's diversity and welcome people from all cultural backgrounds.

The society's goals would also include promoting redevelopment, increasing tourism, preventing homelessness and instilling pride and consumer confidence in the area.

Why this area?

Edmonton's Chinatown roughly encompasses the area between Jasper and 107A avenues and between 95thand 101ststreets. It's a large chunk of land that stretches across the Boyle Street and McCauley neighbourhoods and includes shelters, social agencies and some struggling businesses.

The location is ripe for revitalization, Pon said. It's just blocks from downtown'sIce District anew development worth more than $2 billion.

"How can you walk through the neighbourhood and not see the differences of the two worlds?" she said.

The society is asking for seed money over the next four years. Its goal is to eventually become self-sustaining.

Council will debate the funding request during budget discussions in the fall.