As Lethbridge's Chinatown slowly crumbles, community seeks new ways to preserve history

Lethbridge is set to lose a historic building in its Chinatown community, the Manie Opera Society building, after city council issued a heritage intervention approval Tuesday allowing the owner to demolish the structure.

A fire on Jan. 31 resulted in the demolition of the Bow on Tong Co. building next door — another heritage site — and also caused significant fire and water damage to the Manie Opera Society.

An April structural assessment from Talbera International Technologies Inc. submitted to council showed the building was in "critical to poor to marginal condition," and if a collapse were to occur, buildings and/or occupants nearby could be damaged or harmed.

Any attempt to save the building, located in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue South, would take several months to years, the assessment continued, and would cost the owner tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Because of the financial burden on the owner, and their concern for public safety, the firm recommended the building be torn down.

Since the building is designated as a heritage resource, city council needs to give its approval before it can demolished.

After debate, it decided to delay the approval to June 13, allowing time for interested parties to work with the owner on preservation options.

The province, which also designated the site a historic resource, granted its approval in April, according to city documents.

The building's owner told CBC News she's sad to lose the building, but is worried about the safety of the structure. She added she's willing to donate any salvageable bricks or signs. She's also facing demolition costs.

Southern Alberta Chinese Association vice president Ying Zheng said the group realizes the chances of saving the building as it is are slim.

"I think our best way forward now is to work with the city and the Lethbridge Historical Society to try to identify other suitable places, preferably nearby, to try to rebuild," she said in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener.

"It's not just [about] the history of Chinese people, it's the history of Lethbridge and Alberta."

LISTEN | Ying Zheng describes why the building is important to Lethbridge's history:

Lethbridge's Chinatown

The history of Lethbridge's Chinatown dates back to the 1880s, when Chinese residents began moving to the area.

Belinda Crowson, a Lethbridge city councillor and president of the Lethbridge Historical Society, said the Manie Opera Society — originally called Kwong On Lung Co. — was built in 1907.

It's the same year a riot occurred against Chinese members of the community. A restaurant was destroyed and people were threatened, according to the Alberta Register of Historic Places.

"And so the Chinese residents built this building during a time of extreme discrimination and racism. So the power of a community to build and to see themselves as part of a community that was actively working against them is incredible," Crowson said in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener.

"This building and a few others are the only real tangible evidence we have of that early Chinese community from a built heritage perspective."

LISTEN | Belinda Crowson explains how the city can protect buildings as they age:

Over the years, the building has been used as a Chinese goods shop, a grocery store, a restaurant and a cultural gathering place.

It's considered significant not just because of its history, but also its structure: the original stucco on brick on the front facade, the pattern and style of the wood windows and the original signage, among other things.

When Bow on Tong Co. was built in 1919, the two units shared a wall. 

"The buildings sort of leaned on each other, which is one of the reasons we were very concerned when the Bow on Tong went down," Crowson said.

The fire at the building earlier this year was considered suspicious by the Lethbridge Police Service, which led to a person of interest being identified, but there was not enough evidence to support criminal charges.

The community also lost the Kuo Min Tang (Chinese National League) building, built in 1909, in 2011. 

Future of historical area

Out of the historical Chinese character buildings, Zheng says, only the Chinese Free Masons Building is left. Several wooden laundry buildings and restaurants are also gone.

"It's just sad, a lot of times we actually feel helpless seeing that happening," she said.

The Southern Alberta Chinese Association is looking into other ways they might be able to commemorate the area's history.

One idea is to create a park in the community with monuments detailing the stories of the neighbourhood.

What would also help, Crowson says, is if the federal government created tax incentives for owners of historic buildings, or if the provincial government provided more funding.

"It's very difficult to own a historic building in Alberta because the money just isn't there to help you," she said. "You can go for grants, but the grants are getting smaller and smaller every year."

Moving forward, she said the city also needs to work with the Lethbridge community to decide what buildings its devoted to preserving so it knows where to focus its efforts.

In the case of the Manie Opera Society, Crowson says it appears the damage is done.

"If we lose the building, we have to find other ways of telling the stories."