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Public spaces such as the streets, parks and sidewalks make up a large part of people's urban experiences. The public realm is also an open stage where the community can come together to define the identity and meaning of their neighbourhood through collaborative activities such as street festivals, ceremonies even informal meetings in parks and plazas. In Chinatown, improvement to the public realm is especially important in improving the area's safety and strengthening Chinatown's appeal to residents and visitors alike. Public realm projects are also means for historic commemoration, expression of cultural identity and engaging the community to create an environment they can be proud of.
While local merchants and businesses continue to work on marketing and tourism promotion to bring more people into Chinatown, public realm projects help further these efforts by ensuring that visitors will feel comfortable once they are in Chinatown so they are more likely to come back to support the local economy.
Public realm projects that have recently been completed in Chinatown with funding contributions from the Vancouver Agreement partners include:
- Millennium Gate
- Shanghai Alley and Han Dynasty Bell
- Chinatown Memorial Square
- 90 new pedestrian lights
- Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Courtyard improvements and mosaic art
Collectively, these projects will gradually become the basis towards the development of a "cultural quarter" in Chinatown, comprised of a network of vibrant public places connected by safe and attractive streets centred around the Sun Yat-Sen courtyard.
A Network of Public Places
 Click to view larger map and photos
The following projects identified in the Downtown Transportation Plan, the Greenway Program, the Street Furniture Program, and the Downtown Eastside Economic Revitalization Plan will foster linkages between Chinatown and surrounding neighbourhoods:
Read the Carrall Street Greenway Report (2005) (PDF) 
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| Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Courtyard |
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| Han Dynasty Bell |
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