Sing Tao, October 14th, 2016
Something exciting is happening in Chinatown. New buildings, restaurants, and businesses continue to appear and the older, more established businesses are starting to feel the benefit of that new growth.
The Chinatown community is also responding by making the area more appealing to both tourists and residents. Buildings are lit up, painted, and repaired - the appeal is not purely cosmetic because the focus is making the streets of Chinatown safer.
One of the latest initiatives is happening in the heart of Chinatown: the Chinatown Plaza and the EasyPark parking lot. The 3-sided clock that towers over the Chinatown Plaza for more than two decades is reborn after a substantial repair. “The clock in the center of a community has always been an important part of a village, town or City” says Nigel Bullers, CEO of EasyPark. “Having the clock broken was not inviting for people, and it was also unlucky for the Chinese community. We approached the City of Vancouver to help us repair the clock, and now it is both working again and lit up at night.”
The clock is part of EasyPark's latest restorations to help clean the Chinatown community and to contribute to its safety. EasyPark has been active in sustaining the award-winning Chinatown Plaza. “There have been many improvements this year thus far,” says Kwan Chan, operations manager of EasyPark. “We care about the Chinatown community and decided to install energy-saving LED lighting throughout the parking lot to make it both brighter and safer while staying sustainable. We pride ourselves in being the first parking company in Vancouver to offer Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, and we installed two of them in the iconic Chinatown Plaza. As well, we replaced signage and painted large areas to freshen up the communal space in this historic neighbourhood.”
EasyPark has managed both the Chinatown Plaza and the parking lot at the 100-hundred block of Keefer Street since 2005. Over the years, EasyPark has worked closely with the City of Vancouver and the BIAs to improve both commerce and the community. EasyPark is a loyal supporter of numerous community events including the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and Business Association Fundraising events, the Chinatown Festival, and the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. golf tournament. By the end of 2016, EasyPark will help install a twelve-foot neon sign near the Chinatown Plaza entrance with a plaque engraved with "Looking Afar China."
Link to article in Sing Tao
http://vancouver.singtao.ca/810244/2016-10-14/post-%E8%8F%AF%E5%9F%A0%E5%BB%A3%E5%A0%B4%E9%80%A3%E5%81%9C%E8%BB%8A%E5%A0%B4-%E5%A4%A7%E7%BF%BB%E6%96%B0%E5%90%B8%E5%BC%95%E4%BA%BA%E6%B5%81/?variant=zh-cn