Chinatown,
The Best!
(唐人街, 最好的)
Envisioning Chinatown's Future

About the Project

For the project, “Chinatown, the Best!”, we asked seniors in the Chinatown area to envision what would make Chinatown a great place to live, a place of communion.  What kind of amenities, services, cultural events would they like to see?  Spending time with seniors at community centres in weekly gatherings, we learned more of who they are, what they need/desire, what they would like to share of their skills and experiences.

对于 “唐人街,最好的” 这个项目,我们邀请唐人街地区的老年人设想什么会使唐人街成为一个宜居的地方,一个交流的地方。他们希望看到什么样的设施、服务、文化活动?在每周与社区中心的老年人共度时光的聚会中,我们将更多地了解他们是谁,他们需要/渴望什么,他们所希望分享的技能和经验是什么。

We also asked participating seniors to reflect on their best vision of themselves and invited them to be photographed. The resulting images are on display at various locations in Chinatown during Lunar New Year 2022.

我们也请参与的前辈反思他们对自己的最佳看法,并邀请他们拍照. 由此产生的图像在2022 新年期间在唐人街的各个地点展出。

The premise behind “Tong Yan Gai, Jeui Ho!” (Chinatown, the best), is that Toronto’s best Chinatown is not in the past, but in front of us, we are making it, through our collective vision, spirit and action.

“唐人街,最好的!” 的前提是多伦多最好的唐人街不是过去,而是在我们面前,我们正在通过我们的集体愿景、精神和行动创造它。


Activation Sites

1. Sanderson Library (327 Bathurst St.) 
2. Scadding Court (707 Dundas St. W) 
3. Whippersnapper Gallery (594 Dundas St. W)
4. Hong Luck Kung Fu Club (548 Dundas St. W)
5. Minh Ngoc, Saigon Video, Former Saigon Optical
(315C, 315G and 325A Spadina Ave) 
6. New Hong Fatt BBQ (443 Dundas St. W)
7. Former TD Bank (413 Dundas St. W) 
8. University Settlement House (23 Grange Rd) 

Installation Documentation

Envisioning Prompts

With our first project “Long Time No See” we asked folks to submit photos of themselves in places in Chinatown that meant something to them and to share why.  We received many heartfelt stories and were moved by how much Chinatown inhabits our minds and hearts.  For some of us, we need Chinatown for work, to find affordable food or for a sense of belonging, for some of us, Chinatown is a place we rarely visit but has deep meaning for us, in our family and collective memories.

在我们的第一个项目“好久不见”中,我们要求人们提交自己在唐人街一些对他们有意义的地方照的照片并分享原因。我们收到了许多发自内心的故事,并为唐人街在我们的思想和心灵中所占据的地位而感动。对于我们中的一些人来说,我们需要唐人街来工作、寻找负担得起的食物或获得归属感。对于其他人来说,唐人街是一个我们很少去的地方,但对我们、我们的家人和集体记忆却有着深刻的意义。

For the project “Tong Yan Gai, Jeui Ho!” (Chinatown, the best), we have shifted our focus to seniors in the Chinatown area, asking:

对于“唐人街,最好的!”这个项目, 我们转向唐人街地区的老年人, 来问:


Close your eyes ... What do you see? Who is there? What are they doing? What can you smell in your Chinatown?  What do you hear?

闭上眼睛,……你看到了什么?谁在那儿?他们在做什么?你在唐人街能闻到什么味道?你听到什么?

Chinatowns across North America are struggling to survive.  In Montreal Chinatown, the loss of heritage buildings leaves gaping holes in the street fabric.  An article titled, “Investigation:  Is Vancouver’s Chinatown Dying?“ cites,

整个北美的唐人街都在为生存而努力挣扎。在蒙特利尔的唐人街,历史性建筑物的消失在街道的结构上留下了大洞。一篇题为“调查:温哥华的唐人街正在消亡?”的文章引用了,

“Vacancy rates in Chinatown increased 23.7 per cent since the pandemic, … you get to a point where vacant stores overshadow the active storefronts of retail…and then you get into a position where it’s hard to recover back into a lively street front, and bring people into Chinatown, bring the seniors back into Chinatown.”

“自大流行以来,唐人街的空置率增加了 23.7%,......此况已到了一个空置的商店给活跃的零售店面蒙上了阴影......已回复不到以前人们进入唐人街的活力以及把老年人带回唐人街的地步。”

How will we bring people back into Toronto Chinatown, keep the streets safe and inviting for seniors?

我们将如何把人们带回多伦多唐人街,保持街道安全并吸引老年人?

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