Visitors to Fan Tan Alley can see a preview of the Chinese Canadian Museum at a pop-up called Peering into the Past: Celebrating Canada’s Oldest Chinatown.
Saanich has one of the largest Chinese populations in the region and council has resolved to write a letter to the City of Victoria and the provincial government to see how they can support the museum.
“The reason that Saanich would be involved is in respect to the long heritage of Chinese contribution to the fabric of Saanich,” said Mayor Fred Haynes.
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Victoria Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe is a volunteer and a liaison for the workings of the pop-up. She touched on her own family’s history in the region and why Saanich’s contribution to the museum is meaningful to her.
“A lot of land was for sale in Saanich in the 1950s and ’60s, and my family had to move there, so Saanich has been really important for the Chinese community and where they have felt welcome to live over the years,” she said.
The City of Victoria is looking into leasing options for a permanent museum to be hosted in Chinatown.
The regional exhibit was developed in partnership with the Royal B.C. Museum and the Chinese Canadian Museum, the provincial hub for which is located in Vancouver. To learn more, go to chinesecanadianmuseum.ca.
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