`Out of control' vandalism a frustration in Chinatown
Some believe racism is behind the graffiti at potential UNESCO world heritage site
Organizers of a Chinatown mural that was recently defaced are speaking out in hopes of finding solutions to safety and vandalism issues before the city applies for the community's status as a world heritage site.
Five weeks after a 17-foot panel of an ox, deer, cranes and peonies was spray-painted as part of a Vancouver Mural Fest piece by local artist Carolyn Wong, it was defaced by a tagger at Main and East Pender streets.
“It's a real slap in the face,” said Jordan Eng, president of the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association, which commissioned the artwork on the metal security blinds at one of 420 businesses in the community, the Ten Ren Tea and Ginseng Company, with support from the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Classical Chinese Garden.
“The mural itself was curated as outreach to the community, symbolizing peace and harmony between Chinatown and the surrounding communities.”
Fixing the recently defaced mural cost the association about $1,000 of its $500,000 budget, which the city allots for graffiti removal each year.
That act of vandalism, as well as myriad others that have hit the neighbourhood — including paint having been poured on lion statues outside Chinatown's Millennium Gate — are not accidents, Eng said.
“These are targeted, racist acts. The culprits are sending a direct, intentional message to us.
“It is their attempt of cultural erasure.”
Since the 1970s, parts of Chinatown, on the outskirts of the Downtown Eastside, have been designated heritage areas by the city and province. One of Canada's oldest neighbourhoods of its kind, it was established in the 1890s when Chinese seasonal migrant workers set up shop in the urban centre.
Next week, Vancouver city council is to consider applying to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to designate Chinatown a world heritage site.
But Eng said more needs to be done before that to end the vandalism plaguing Chinatown's businesses and cultural assets.
Sandra Singh, arts and culture manager for the city, said Vancouver is early in the application process, which takes a minimum of five to 10 years.
“If Vancouver's Chinatown successfully becomes a (world heritage site), it will be the first Chinatown in the world to receive this unique, international recognition.”
Important considerations for the heritage designation are protection and management efforts made for applying properties, according to UNESCO guidelines.
When designated, along with protection being guaranteed under the Geneva Convention, world heritage sites become eligible to receive conservation funding.
Additional resources would be “critically important to protecting Chinatown's heritage, cultural spaces, businesses and improving the living conditions of many low-income seniors,” Singh said.
Eng said applying for UNESCO is “a north star” for further down the road that still needs to be “kneaded out.” The community's urgent need is help with present safety issues.
Along with a considerable rise in anti-asian hate crimes, which started to climb during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vancouver police report a 300 per cent increase in graffiti in Chinatown this year.
“Graffiti is all over the place now and it's making it look like people here don't care,” said Eng. “Not to mention, it's property damage costing business owners both their time and money.”
Bradley Spence, CEO of electric scooter shop Eevee's, said in 14 months of operations in Chinatown, he's spent nearly $30,000 to repair the damage done to his storefront — graffiti, broken windows and doors.
“It's out of control and never-ending,” said the business owner.
Currently, a city bylaw sets a penalty of a $500 fine for anyone caught doing illegal graffiti.
“I wish there was a way for the people to clean up their own graffiti if caught. Fines are just not working,” Spence said.
Since 2017, the City of Vancouver has made efforts to collaborate with the community of Chinatown to sustain its cultural legacy.
In 2018, it issued a formal apology to Chinese Canadians for past legislation, regulations and policies that discriminated against them.