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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 tucked away behind 639
Hornby Street, a Gothic edifice
with small Art Deco parts
melded onto it. Inside, you'll
find the Bill Reid Gallery
of Northwest Coast Art,
showcasing the work of B.C.'s
most acclaimed Haida artist,
Bill Reid (1920–1998), and other
contemporary aboriginal artists.
8
CHRIST
CHURCH
CATHEDRAL
A Gothic Revival sandstone
church with a steep gabled
roof, buttresses and stained-
glass windows, the Anglican
Christ Church Cathedral
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Sam Kee Building
Cathedral Place
Photos: Canadian Tourism Commission; Bobanny [Wikipedia]; Cord Rodefeld [Flickr]; colink [Flickr]; Destination BC; Canadian Tourism Commission
