Chinatown Vancouver
Vancouver's Chinatown is the largest in Canada and the second largest in North America, only San Francisco's Chinatown is somewhat larger
While most Vancouverites with Chinese origin now live in Richmond, Vancouver itself can still boast a large Chinatown district. It has an authentic and oriental atmosphere, with many well-preserved buildings in oriental style and many cultural festivals. The whole district was declared a historic site in 1971 by the B.C. government, together with the neighbouring Gastown.
Chinatown's center is situated around the Chinese Cultural Center (CCC) in Pender street. Behind the CCC is the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Park and Garden . The $5.3 million garden opened in 1986 for the Vancouver world expo and was the first full-scale classical garden ever built outside China.
It was built by a team of 52 experts from the city of Suzhou, who used the ancient techniques of the originals. The whole garden, named after the founder of the first Chinese Republic, took a full year to complete. It contains multiple buildings in oriental style and contains a balance between vegetation, rocks and pools.
