The entrance gateway at the Chinese Cemetery on Townsite Rd. is getting repaired after years of weathering has exposed some of the structure underneath the concrete. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

HISTORICAL LANDMARK

Chinese cemetery gateway to undergo repairs to protect ‘significant and lengthy history’ in Nanaimo

May 3, 2022 | 9:57 AM

NANAIMO — One of the city’s most treasured heritage landmarks is receiving a facelift.

The entrance gateway at the Chinese Cemetery on Townsite Rd. was identified for repairs during a recent routine inspection, with peeling paint and crumbling concrete topping the list of issues.

Chris Sholberg, community heritage planner, told Council on Monday, May 2 the cemetery site and its entrance gateway carry large significance in the city’s history.

“Although the cemetery is not exclusively Chinese, it retains a distinct Chinese character and is in fact still active, there are currently burials that occasionally happen there as well.”

Built in 1924 with burials starting in 1933, the site came under City control in 1985.

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It is a notable landmark for long-time residents and is one of the last remaining sites to reflect Nanaimo’s early population influx of Chinese-Canadians.

Much of the history was destroyed during a 1960 fire in the then-Chinatown centered around the Pine/Albert St. area.

Nanaimo’s Chinatown was one of the largest in North America in the early 1900’s with many working local coal jobs.

Missing and damaged roof tiles are also part of the scope of work to repair the entrance gateway to the Chinese cemetery on Townsite Rd. (City of Nanaimo)

Bill Sims, general manager of engineering and public works, said the entrance structure is mainly concrete, however years of exposure to the elements has exposed some timber and steel reinforcements underneath.

“The essential work is going to be just stripping the coating, sandblasting it off, hammering at the concrete to get rid of some of the loose stuff and looking for and replacing any exposed reinforcing steel, patching concrete and repainting it all,” Sims told Council.

City crews will also replace the roof tiles to help seal in the structure.

It’s work to a site which many newer residents may not know existed, according to Coun. Ian Thorpe.

“I sort of feel that we maybe haven’t done enough to recognize the contributions of the Chinese people to the growth of our city. We lost a lot of their history with the Chinatown fire of course.

Thorpe proposed the addition of more signage and educational materials at the site to further explain its significance, something City staff were already envisioning down the line.

Mayor Leonard Krog tied in this project to repair the gateway with the anniversary of the No. 1 Esplanade Mine explosion on May 3, 1887.

A total of 148 people were killed when gas or dust ignited in the mine.

“Those Chinese workers who were killed in the mine, when they listed the names of the dead were only identified by number,” Krog said. “Emphasizing again…the significant and lengthy history of the contribution of Canadians of Chinese descent to this community and the poor treatment…this country has a history and a past.”

The site will be restored to its original state with minimal changes and was given a budget of $60,000.

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