Hon Hsing Athletic Association

This four-storey building has a store at ground level with meeting rooms above, on East Pender Street, which is considered as ‘main street’ of Chinatown. This heritage is an excellent early example of architecturally distinct ‘Chinatown style’ and for its associations with a number of economic and social activities that were important to Chinatown.

Constructed in 1910 by R. J MacDonald, this building exemplifies distinct early Chinatown architectural style: vertical proportions; typically three to four storeys high, with upper floors featuring recessed balconies and building-wide glazing facing the street. This building and other buildings in Chinatown adapted the architectural style of the Chinese Benevolent Association Building (1909), and created a significant shift away from the architectural styles found in many commercial buildings in Vancouver toward a more distinctly ‘Chinese’ form. Later in 1914, of a metal cornice added to the distinct character of the building’s appearance.

The mixed use of the building is representative of the area, with a succession of retail businesses (such as a grocery store, a restaurant, and a silk merchant) on the ground floor, and institutional and single room housing in the upper storeys.

Heritage value is also found in the history of clan-based Hon Hsing organization, which was established in 1938. The organization provided, directed activities for young people; the Hon Hsing Athletic association provided ch’uan fa classes were first organize Chinese martial arts classes in Canada; these classes were opened to non-Chinese students only in the 1960s. The history of the organization provides insight into generational conflict which was prevalent in twentieth century in Chinatown.

Source

Canada's Historic Places