How can we transform our ways of planning so that culture can shape our cities? The City of Vancouver’s Chinatown Transformation Team (CTT) uses an innovative approach that sees cultural values and a community’s way of life as the key to shaping its future. Their process expands our understanding of planning’s role by going beyond buildings and into matters of intangible heritage, community identity, relationship building and community-directed change. The result will be a long-term plan to address Chinatown’s social, cultural and economic needs and maintain it as a vibrant living community. In this session, CTT planners will share their experiences working to tackle complex challenges and sustain Chinatown’s cultural heritage as part of the City’s commitment to cultural redress and equity. They will share lessons learned on values-based planning, the community stewardship process, cultural asset mapping, and more. The principles shared in this session apply to communities beyond Chinatown. They are valuable for any planner interested in advancing equity, meeting the needs of minorities, working with the community and shaping communities through culture and heritage development.
