The Chinese community association previously working with the City of Edmonton on a replacement for the Harbin Gate in Chinatown has withdrawn from the project.
The Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) claims its “input has been sidelined as the project’s scope and cost expanded.”
“The city’s approval of an $8.7 million design, at a time when Chinatown face serious economic and social pressures, demonstrates a troubling misalignment with community priorities,” the CBA wrote in a statement.
“The CBA cannot support a project where cultural partners are treated as symbolic rather than substantive contributors, nor can we endorse spending substantial taxpayer dollars for a single, over-budget capital item while urgent needs in Chinatown, including safety, business recovery, and sanitation remain unmet.
“We believe these funds would deliver greater public benefit if invested in initiatives that directly support residents and local businesses.”
RELATED: Future of Edmonton’s Harbin Gate
The original Harbin Gate, gifted to Edmonton in 1987, was removed in 2017 for LRT construction. The new gate, which is expected to be completed next year, will be on 97 Street between Jasper Avenue and 101A Avenue.
The CBA was part of the stewardship of the Harbin gate for three decades.
“We remain committed to advocating for the Greater Edmonton Chinese community and to supporting projects that reflect responsible stewardship, cultural authenticity, and genuine collaboration,” the CBA said. “Unfortunately, the Chinatown Gate project, as currently directed by Councillor Anne Stevenson, fail to meet those standards.”
Harbin, China, is Edmonton’s sister city.
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