ADOPT AN ANIMAL
ADOPT AN ANIMAL
Provide help to an animal for as little as £3 a month, and make a connection that lasts.SOME OF THE ANIMALS YOU CAN ADOPT
Giant panda symbolises luck and good fortune for Chinatown
A cheery panda mascot with a calligraphy brush slung over his back is part of an effort to rebrand Chinatown as a hip, popular hangout spot for both old and young.
Muse, a mystical creature of good luck and good fortune, won by a landslide in an online poll to choose a mascot. He beat out Punkie, who sported a flaming mohawk hairdo and sunglasses, and chewed on a bamboo leaf.
The choice of the new mascot was announced Tuesday by Albert Fok, president of the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Area Society.
Muse, designed by Vancouver company Definium, will represent a revitalized Chinatown that reflects the area’s rich heritage while appealing to a new generation of Chinese-Canadians, he said.
The giant panda, considered a national treasure in China, and the calligraphy brush are icons of traditional Chinese culture, Mak said. But Muse, who is designed to look cute, shy and cartoon-like, is also meant to appeal to children and young adults.
“In this sense, we are bridging the gap between the older generation and the younger generation,” Mak said.
Banners featuring Muse are being hung on lamp posts along Chinatown’s streets. Muse will make his official debut on Aug. 14, during the 11th annual Chinatown Festival.
Chinatown, which was founded in 1885, was once integral to Vancouver’s Chinese community, Fok said. It was the only place for people to buy Chinese goods. But in recent years, it has been overshadowed by large Chinese malls and chic restaurants in Richmond, Surrey and Coquitlam. Its proximity to the Downtown Eastside also has little appeal for the new generation of Chinese-Canadians — particularly those who are in their teens or early 20s.
“But now, we want to tell people we’re making a comeback,” said Fok.
New arrivals such as Fortune Sound Club, a night club on East Pender Street, and the Keefer, a luxurious boutique hotel-residence with a rooftop pool, are helping to draw in a younger crowd.
“I see this as a big positive step forward,” said Fok. “We’re breaking the mould. We are moving forward and away from the status quo.”
