Little Saigon gets the nod from city council

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Published: October 07, 2011 8:22 a.m.

Last modified: October 07, 2011 8:24 a.m.

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The Vietnamese community will have a little bit of their homeland in Vancouver.

On Thursday city council unanimously approved the creation of Little Saigon. Coun. Kerry Jang said the Little Saigon district, which will be designated along Kingsway between Nanaimo and Fraser streets, will help celebrate and promote Vietnamese culture. The Vietnamese community represents 30,000 residents and makes up Vancouver’s fifth-largest ethnic group.

“Little Saigon is about helping brand the business district to attract new businesses and to really motivate the current owners to fix up the businesses there because it’s a little run down in the area,” Jang said. “This brings a sense of community pride and investment.”

Members of the Vietnamese community approached council two years ago with the Little Saigon proposal to formalize the area into a district where their culture is celebrated with banners and signs, similar to Chinatown.

A community-led referendum showed more than 90 per cent support for the plan from Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese businesses in the Kingsway area.

According to Jang, consultations with area residents, business merchants, community members and groups will begin to determine the boundaries where people would see bilingual street signs and banners.

The community is starting to raise money for the signs and banners, Jang added, and they’re rearing to revitalize the area.

Vietnamese-Canadians released a statement Thursday thanking the city for respecting and recognizing their contributions.

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