Calgarians can now explore the history of Chinatown and the area’s buildings through an online interactive map.

The map, which launched on Thursday, was created by artist and architect Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong. Wong is based in New York City, but from January to March in 2020, she was roaming the streets of Calgary’s Chinatown to learn the area’s history.

Wong was the artist in residence for the Calgary Chinatown Artist Residency, a position created by the city and The New Gallery.

For the past two years, Wong has been collecting historical floor plans, blueprints (including fire insurance maps from 1911) and photographs of Chinatown’s buildings, and speaking with community members. This was all in order to create the project she titled Reflective Urbanisms: Mapping Calgary Chinatown. 

“That was like a crucial step, like making these connections with community members, doing in-person interviews, hosting community engagement events,” Wong said in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener. 

“I just don’t think this project could have taken on the same depth without making these real connections and having these intimate in-person meetings.”

The online interactive map allows users to click on 3D models of Chinatown buildings and see how they’ve changed over time, learn about their history and read interviews with locals associated with each building. Wong said she had a few architecture students working with her to help build the 3D models of the buildings. 

Wong’s map is part of a larger project from the city called Tomorrow’s Chinatown. The city is working with organizations in the neighborhood to create a cultural plan and area redevelopment plan.

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