Plan for Edmonton's Chinatown focused on safety, investment

Edmonton city staff and the local Chinese business community are pushing a plan to help make Chinatown safer while inspiring new investment in the area.

The cityexecutive committee heard details of their planon Tuesday, including 18 recommended actions.

Several recommendations deal withimproving the safety and security of Chinatown, with one recommendinga safety audit of the area.

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There is also a recommendation for the redevelopment of Mary Burlie Park at 104th Avenue and 97th Street, to create a public space for community activities.

The future of the old CN rail bridge across 97thStreet near 105th Avenueis also part of the strategy.

"We want it to be a destination that people will naturally want to go to," said William Lau, a member of the group that developed the strategy.

"Inorder to have that, we need to attract the businesses;and in order to attract the businesses, we'll need to address perception and realities around safety and security," he said.

"Following that will be the physical changes of facade improvements."

'Social disorder'

Before Chinatown can begin to attract new investment, Coun. ScottMcKeen said the "social disorder" in the neighbourhood needs to be addressed.

The committee willdiscussa community wellness plan at itsJuly 4 meeting, including providing services to help people with addictions who live on the street, McKeen said.

"If we don't deal with the social disorder, the petty crime, the homelessness, panhandling, are we likely to get much business investment in that area?" McKeen asked local business ownerStan Mah.

"Quite frankly, no," said Mah. "People who invest a lot of money are going to be very hesitant, because they do their research."

"Some local population have never been to Chinatown because, in their opinion, Chinatown is not a safe place to visit," said Ratan Lawrence of the Chinatown Business Association.

There are many challenges for businessesin the area because of the concentration of social agencies in that part of the downtown, said Lawrence.

"This only works if we can find a way to make those two communities more compatible," said Coun. Ben Henderson, referring to business owners and the homeless community.

"If we don't think this through, one of those communities is going to displace the other one," said Henderson.

City staffwill work with the Chinatown business communityto take the report to the point of implementation, said Paul Ross, manager of economic and environmental sustainability.