New Won Alexander Cumyow Civic Office to serve as ”integral link” with Chinatown

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim Photo: abcvancouver.ca

THE City of Vancouver on Friday opened a new satellite office in Chinatown, the Won Alexander Cumyow Civic Office. The office was opened with a ceremonial ribbon cutting, a performance from the Vancouver Police Department’s Lion Dance Team, and speeches from Councillor Lenny Zhou and Mayor Ken Sim.

“The opening of the Won Alexander Cumyow Civic Office will provide an integral link between the City of Vancouver and Chinatown,” said Sim. “This office will play an important role in making city services more accessible to members of the community.”

The new office will support ongoing outreach efforts in Chinatown and provide in-language access to City services for members of the community. Additionally, the office will be used for coordinating the City’s Uplifting Chinatown efforts including street cleaning improvement and graffiti vandalism removal.

“This office stands as a testament to all those who have worked to restore and revitalize this historic and culturally significant neighbourhood,” said Sim. “We are fully committed to seeing Chinatown become a safe, prosperous, and vibrant neighbourhood for generations to come.”

As the result of a motion co-sponsored by Sim and Zhou, the office is named for Chinese Canadian community leader and human rights advocate Won Alexander Cumyow. Cumyow
is the first known person of Chinese descent to be born within the borders of present-day Canada and is believed to be the only person to have voted both before and after anti-Asian disenfranchisement, first in 1890 and once again in 1949.

“Having this office honour a trailblazer like Won Alexander Cumyow makes today’s opening all the more meaningful,” said Sim. “By having this office carry his name, we are continuing his legacy of dedicated advocacy for the Chinese Canadian community.”

 

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