Overview
Chinatown is set for a major revamp, after a plan to upgrade the beloved Sydney precinct was unanimously supported by the City of Sydney. The plan includes a $5-million investment to reinvigorate Dixon Street Mall, restoring the area's famed red gates, upgrading amenities and improving support for events.
"Our community in Chinatown was one of the first and hardest hit by the pandemic, and it continues to suffer while international tourism and study has not yet fully returned," City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says. "While we have been safely activating public places and inviting people back to experience all Chinatown has to offer since COVID restrictions were eased, we're excited to ensure its long-term future by reinvigorating Dixon Street as a dynamic space for people, daily life and culture."
Among the other plans for the precinct are improved street lighting, expanded trading hours for local businesses, increasing the number of activations, more al fresco dining and more public art — all of which the City of Sydney hopes will help improve nightlife and foot traffic in the area while maintaining the reasons people adore Chinatown.
Cole Bennetts
Over 1000 residents and businesses were consulted on the proposed plan. Contributors pushed for a restoration and refreshment of the area that would reflect its rich diversity and support Chinatown's renowned congregation of affordable restaurants and retail outlets.
"We know an overwhelming majority of our residents want the diverse culture in Dixon Street preserved while increasing outdoor activities like alfresco dining and special events as part of the long-term vision for the precinct," Moore continued. "Our precinct activation grants have already facilitated events like the fabulous Neon Playground and we will continue working hard to draw people to and celebrate this wonderful and important precinct."
This investment in Chinatown will go hand-in-hand with the transformation of the neighbouring George Street. The bustling main road has been converted from a space occupied predominantly by bumper-to-bumper traffic into a pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare fit for outdoor dining and expansive outdoor events.
For more information on the City of Sydney's upgrades to Chinatown, head to the council's website.
Images: Katherine Griffiths