32 welcome to vancouver
Photos: canadian tourism commission;
Bobanny [wikipedia]; cord rodefeld [Flickr]
propensity to jaw on at length ("gassing,"
as it was called). In 1870, when the town
was officially incorporated as Granville,
most folks called it Gastown, after Jack.
5
Chinese Cultural Centre/Dr.
Sun Yat-Sen Park & Chinese
Classical Garden
head south on carrall Street to reach the
chinese cultural centre. a modern building
with an impressive traditional gate, the centre
serves the neighbourhood's thousands of
chinese-speaking residents. next door is
the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese
Garden, which was modelled after a ming
period (1368-1644) scholar's retreat in the
chinese city of Suzhou. Dr. Sun yat-Sen (1866-
1925) is known as the father of modern china.
6
Sam Kee Building
on Pender Street, just half a block
east of carrall Street, you'll find the
world's thinnest office building – just shy
of 1.5 metres deep (not quite five feet). In
1912, the city expropriated most of Kee's
land in order to widen Pender Street, but
refused to compensate him for the tiny
leftover strip. Kee's neighbour, meanwhile,
hoped to pick up the leftover sliver dirt
cheap. the building was Kee's response.
7
Cathedral Place
and the Bill Reid Gallery
continue northwest on Pender Street,
then hang a left on hornby Street – just
past Dunsmuir Street is a veritable study in
postmodernism. this courtyard, with the
formality and calm of a French garden, is
Cathedral Place
Sam Kee Building
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Park
p30-33_WalkingTour.indd 32 14-04-16 11:41 AM
