Councillors support infrastructure boosts coming to Edmonton's Chinatown

Edmonton's Chinatown may finally receive a nuts-and-bolts boost residents say it's needed for many years after city councillors committed to move ahead with capital projects in the district. 

At a meeting Wednesday, council's executive committee directed city staff to include infrastructure projects for Chinatown in the next four-year budget cycle from 2023-2026. 

Administration is expected to present financial estimates for the Chinatown strategy in the fall, as council begins debating the capital and operating budgets. The plan will be subject to council approval at that time. 

The strategy was created in 2018, and Coun. Anne Stevenson noted that council at the time decided not to fund the projects. 

"I think, clearly, this is investment that's been needed for a long time," Stevenson said. 

The pledge from mayor and council comes after a turbulent month for the neighbourhood. Hung Trang, 64, and Ban Phuc Hoang, 61, were killed at Chinatown businesses on May 18. Justin Bone faces two counts of second-degree murder in their deaths. 

Upgrades in the Chinatown strategy include streetscaping 97th to 101st Streets between 105th and 107th Avenues.

Neighbourhood renewal projects are scheduled to start next year for Boyle Street and McCauley, including 98th to 100th streets and parts of 105th Avenue.

Stevenson said she'd like to see enhancements in these areas similar to the ones done on Jasper Avenue over the past several years. 

'We need to step up'

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi called the capital investments in Chinatown "absolutely necessary." 

"Chinatown has been neglected for decades," Sohi told reporters after the meeting. "We need to step up." 

Sohi said he's confident administration will continue to work with business associations and other groups in the area to firm up the project requirements. 

"I personally have a very deep commitment to making sure that we bring life back into Chinatown in a way that it becomes a thriving place as it was in the past," Sohi said.

"This community deserves concerted, focused attention." 

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Residents and business owners joined the executive committee meeting Wednesday to tell councillors what they would like to see. 

Sunny Pak, who's been a landlord for 30 years, said he wants to see staggered construction so patrons can still access the neighbourhood without major road closures. 

"Many of our regular customers stopped coming to Chinatown because of the various safety concerns," Pak said. "As you can see, most of our businesses are already dying." 

Hon Leong with the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative, said local organizations are working on several ideas to make it more attractive and inviting. 

One area that needs attention is the 97th Street bridge underpass, Leong told the committee.

"The truth is that it's kind of a blight on our community," he said.  

Leong said the groups are working with Qualico, a real estate developer, on a blueprint to add bright lights and other improvements to the bridge.

Green space lacking

Leong added that Mary Burlie Park, where homeless camps and disorder are common, needs attention. 

"We need to repurpose it for our community and for the family of Mary Burlie," Leong said. 

The park was named after Mary Burlie, who was one of the first volunteers with Boyle Street Community Services and worked on the front lines for 26 years. 

Her granddaughter, Tanika Burlie, also spoke to the committee Wednesday asking the city to keep the park clean and safe. 

"It is our hope that this city council will do all that is possible to make sure that the Mary Burlie Park is preserved to the standards that honour her legacy," Burlie said.  

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The city is also having the Harbin Gate rebuilt after it was removed in 2019 to make room for LRT construction. 

It plans to install the new gate on 97th Street. Money for that was planned to be allotted in the 2023-2026 capital budget.  

The gate, named after Edmonton's sister city of Harbin in China, is a community symbol that contributes to downtown vibrancy, Stevenson said.