The Chinatown Strategy

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The Chinatown strategy has been developed through an integrated economic development approach supported by place-making and with actionable community led programming components. The strategy is founded in economic development pillars that direct actions, all of which contribute collectively to guide Edmonton's Chinatown into the future. Together the actions capture the expressed needs of the community that embrace multiple and diverse aspects essential for a vibrant, economically sustainable place. Community led programming elements will enhance the effort to strengthen and activate Chinatown to ensure its resiliency for generations.

The Chinatown Strategy is community-driven and enabled. While the City of Edmonton has played a role in the development of the strategy, it has been the strong commitment on behalf of cultural organizations, the retail and business sector and community organization in Chinatown that has made it possible. It will be these collaborative community-based partnerships that will similarly drive the success of the Strategy as its actions are implemented.

Economic Development Pillars + Actions

The Chinatown Strategy is a series of actions developed in collaboration with community stakeholders to directly address the five key pillars established in the Chinatown Economic Development Plan.

These actions include programmatic and place-making recommendations to support a thriving and resilient Edmonton Chinatown now and into the future.

PILLAR A: IMPROVE SENSE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY

Strengthen safety and security in Chinatown to contribute to a strong sense of a vibrant and inclusive place.

PILLAR B: FOCUSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Catalyze and environment for renewed interest and investment in Chinatown.

PILLAR C: GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP NETWORK

Implement the Chinatown Strategy through leadership, shared responsibility and resourcing.

PILLAR D: CELEBRATE CHINATOWN AS A DESTINATION

Highlight Chinatown as an exciting destination that is treasured by residents and visitors.

PILLAR E: ENHANCE BUILT FORM AND LANDMARKS

Leverage the buildings, landmarks ad streetscapes of Chinatown.

Action 1
Develop integrated connections between social agencies, businesses and community to advocate and collaborate to identify issues and opportunities on solutions regarding safety and security.

▬ Action 1.1 Develop a forum for relationship building that can allow stakeholders to share experiences, knowledge and ideas to increase awareness with respect to safety and security and gain a common understanding of opportunities to address impacts on small businesses, residents, and other stakeholders.

▬ Action 1.2 Coordinate a workshop with businesses in the area and provide information on what businesses can do to enhance crime prevention through environmental design within their own buildings.

▬ Action 1.3 Strengthen communication channels to support and advocate for the City, Edmonton Police Service and community social agencies Community Wellness Services proposal in Edmonton.

Action 2

Undertake a safety audit of Chinatown to document community safety factors that inform and prioritize further actions.

▬ Action 2.1 Evaluate findings of the safety audit and determine appropriate actions that could help identify and leverage resources.

▬ Actions 2.2 Ensure that safety audit findings are shared with the business community and community stakeholders so that they can take action on specific improvements to their own properties and areas.

Action 3

Pilot enhanced programs to address issues around general cleanliness impacting area image and safety.

▬ Action 3.1 Engage stakeholders of Chinatown to steward maintenance of the area through "adoption" programs that will instill pride by assigning furniture, flower baskets, blocks, or specific forms of public infrastructure to be cared for.

▬ Action 3.2 Reflect on and review past and existing programs to weigh future direction of focused program development to address area specific issues.

Action 4

Focus investment, development and programming support on a focused area of Chinatown North to ensure that ongoing efforts are strategic and contribute to a concentrated area and resultant sense of place.

▬ Action 4.1 Identify and work with potential investors, businesses and economic development stakeholders to refine a collaborative approach to focus development and programming efforts in Chinatown North.

▬ Action 4.2 Ensure that collective communications and messaging used by all stakeholders regarding Chinatown is consistent and reinforces Chinatown North as a primary destination.

Action 5

Increase business diversification in Chinatown to ensure a healthy retail and service mix that supports a thriving vibrant daytime, nighttime and all-season economy.

▬ Action 5.1 Develop an investment campaign and recruitment package to support the attraction of new investors and businesses to Chinatown.

▬ Action 5.2 Assess opportunities for growth by undertaking an analysis of retail and commercial trends that can be used for targeted outreach to new businesses and investors.

▬ Action 5.3 Conduct an inventory of vacant and available buildings that can be used in tandem with the actions above to support the attraction of new tenants into the area.

▬ Action 5.4 Undertake a detailed trade area assessment and market research to better understand spending habits and consumer demand in the community, city and region to inform marketing and recruitment strategies.

▬ Action 5.5 Create a long term optimal tenant mix plan for Chinatown to serve as a road-map for targeted business attraction.

Action 6

Explore opportunities to leverage the City of Edmonton's Community Development Corporation to support redevelopment potential within Chinatown North.

▬ Action 6.1 Identify and assess existing land and property assets with strategic community development potential so that this information is readily available should opportunities for a feasibility assessment emerge for Chinatown.

Action 7

Confirm the Chinatown Community Economic Development Task Force's role to steward the Chinatown Strategy and to evolve into an ongoing entity to champion Chinatown over the long term.

▬ Action 7.1 Ratify a Chinatown Community Economic Development Task Force Terms of Reference that ensures diverse participation of members, roles and mandate to implement the Chinatown Strategy.

▬ Action 7.2 Foster a community leadership model that is founded in shared responsibility with members that are diverse in representation and opinion, sharing the common goal to revitalize Chinatown.

▬ Action 7.3 Develop a process of mentor-ship for the new generation of leaders in Chinatown that will facilitate transfer of knowledge.

Action 8

Review options to resource and support the Chinatown Community Economic Development Task Force and the implementation of the Chinatown Strategy.

▬ Action 8.1 Identify the resources for administrative support that would provide transition between delivery of the Chinatown Strategy and the implementation plan to ensure that the community capacity build for the strategy development continues moving forward.

▬ Action 8.2 Identify the financial resources to support operational requirements of the CCED Task Force to ensure ongoing ownership to advance the actions of the Strategy.

Action 9

Leverage existing arts, culture and heritage assets of Chinatown, highlighting specialty retail and culinary offerings to market the area as a distinct and unique destination for people of all ages and diversities.

▬ Action 9.1 Develop a tourism strategy that capitalizes on Chinatown's heritage and arts attractions and cultural opportunities.

▬ Action 9.2 Develop a marketing plan to promote and capitalize on existing businesses and attractions in Chinatown.

▬ Action 9.3 Mobilize efforts to develop and advertise complementary cross-promotional opportunities between area businesses and attractions.

▬ Action 9.4 Develop tours and maintain an online resource map with historical and cultural information featuring interesting facts about Chinatown.

Action 10

Develop an integrated programming and events strategy for Chinatown that advances multiple reasons to visit Chinatown throughout the year.

▬ Action 10.1 Ensure that existing events and activities are offered in a complementary fashion so that they do not compete for market share and are leveraged to secure the broadest appeal.

▬ Action 10.2 Work with local businesses to ensure that sponsorship and other opportunities are in place so that they can benefit and support events in Chinatown.

▬ Action 10.3 Integrate tactical activation opportunities that could include pop-up commercial and cultural events and activities in underused spaces and parking lots to advance programming in Chinatown in new ways.

Action 11

Support property owners to activate clank walls and spaces with engaging and colourful art and interesting installations that can help animate Chinatown and support destination appeal of the area.

▬ Action 11.1 Develop a program and toolkit to support property owners in seizing opportunities to animate walls and spaces in ways that leverage community partnerships, local artists, and existing programs.

▬ Action 11.2 Explore opportunities to market Chinatown as a hub for murals and street art with potential for a street art map and annual competitions.

▬ Action 11.3 Advocate for an art piece at a prominent outward facing location of the Royal Alberta Museum to acknowledge the junction of Chinatown North and South.

Action 12

Undertake an analysis of transportation requirements in Chinatown to ensure adequate vehicle and bike parking facilities exist and are managed most effectively to meet the needs of visitors.

▬ 12.1 Undertake an analysis of City parking management to ensure that adequate enforcement and parking needs for visitors and residents are being met, particularly during peak periods and during events in Chinatown and Edmonton's core.

▬ 12.2 Ensure existing and future alignments with pedestrian and cycle infrastructure are considered and initiated so that Chinatown is easily accessible via multiple modes of transportation.

Action 13

Develop a concept and execute a future redevelopment of Mary Burlie Park that enables an inclusive and programmable public space for the community.

▬ Action 13.1 Ensure that future development scenarios address perception of safety, and focus on creating a space that is programmable and flexible for all peoples, events and activities.

▬ Action 13.2 Ensure that future development scenarios involve stakeholder consultation and broad community input to create new opportunities to support local businesses and programming that enhances destination appeal.

Action 14

Ensure that vitality of Chinatown's main-street, 97 Street, is enhanced with strong elements of design that will secure commercial destination appeal, enhance place-making, and bolster economic development of the area.

▬Action 14.1 Coordinate opportunities to integrate ancillary design enhancements with scheduled infrastructure renewals that could include the addition of secondary power to street poles and use of colour or prints in pavement and asphalt.

▬ Action 14.2 Encourage new uses that contribute to active street frontages to support a main-street pedestrian appeal to advance the sense of place in Chinatown.

▬ Action 14.3 Develop a maintenance plan for the Happy Gate of Arrival to ensure that the prominent entry feature and major landmark into Chinatown at the intersection of 97 Street and 107 Avenue is maintained through regularly scheduled maintenance.

▬ Action 14.4 Coordinate the storage, refurbishment and future re-use installation of existing lantern lights in future public art.

Action 15

Develop defining urban design treatments that will strengthen the profile of gateways into Chinatown along 101 Street.

▬ Action 15.1 Improve gateways and pedestrian crossings at key intersections to enhance pedestrian experience, encourage traffic to the area and indicate entry to Chinatown.

▬ Action 15.2 Enhance the profile of the 101 Street corridor that is a distinct main-street character that emphasizes improved pedestrian connections for mobility to surrounding area destinations.10

Action 16

Augment the profile of 98 Street to function as an important complementary commercial street that can incite new investment and programming diversity.

▬ Action 16.1 Develop a mixed-use streetscaping scenario that is supportive of future growth potential in Chinatown.

▬ Action 16.2 Ensure that future streetscaping and urban design themes align and support an enhanced character of the overall Chinatown district.

Action 17

Work with the owner of the 97th Street Rail Bridge to determine a direction for the structure that includes multi-modal connections and interim tactical solutions for improvements that addresses community concerns while long term development plans are confirmed.

▬ Action 17.1 Develop solutions for the bridges structure that could include lighting or murals and community engagement for different design options that reduce negative perceptions to provide a safer environment for the adjoining communities.

▬ Action 17.2 Further develop longer-term scenarios that could see either improvements to the bridge or its removal.

Action 18

Steward the future of Harbin Gate elements to ensure that are integrated into Chinatown in the future.

▬ Action 18.1 Complete the community led feasibility study (currently underway) for relocation criteria to provide input into the future of the Harbin Gate.

▬ Action 18.2 Utilize the outcome of the feasibility study to determine next steps in Harbin Gate elements relocation.

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Chinese Benevolent Association

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The Chinatown Strategy

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