What’s going on in the Chinatown area?
As most of you know, Chinatown is home to the 9,000 square foot Jump for Joy! Photo Mural. This neighbourhood has been revitalized over the years and is seeing a shift in its demographics. The gentrification movement is largely due to the upsurge in condo and business developments in this culture-rich area. Chinatown is no longer a mecca for Chinese immigrants as more young professionals have been moving in. This new demographic may not be familiar with shopping in Chinese stores and may want to know where their food is coming from. This is where The Choi Project comes in.
The Choi Project has a mandate to bring back healthy, local produce into families and communities. Choi, Chinese for vegetables or leafy greens, often goes through a lengthy journey from its home to your dinner table and loses nutrients along the way. The Choi Project has several goals one of which is to help grocers adapt to a new incoming demographic. This project has teamed up with the Chinatown Supermarket in creating English signage and promoting locally grown produce.
According to Kleinmann, chef at Dunlevy Snackbar situated in Chinatown, the “food is fresh and there are a lot of local things and it’s good to expand your food horizons. And, the prices are really good”. This effort to bring ethnic Chinese back to Chinatown and to preserve long-time businesses will be done through sustainable local produce which is the end-goal of this project.
For additional information on The Choi Project, check out: http://ow.ly/C5ugH
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