This Sydney council wants to create a new Chinatown. It's not where you expect
'At the moment, it's obviously looking a little bit more tired with less restaurants and shopping opportunities,' Parramatta Labor Councillor Michael Ng said.
A new proposal from the City of Parramatta Council is hoping to change that.
At a meeting on Monday night, the council supported a motion, moved by Ng, to explore developing a Chinatown precinct along Church Street, between Fitzwilliam and Campbell streets. The next step is community consultation.
The proposal envisions a distinctive destination for visitors, one that would reflect Parramatta's multicultural identity and support local businesses.
Ng said the southern end of the CBD has always had a history of Chinese businesses, but it has experienced a decline with many shops closing down in recent years. He believes the council can reactivate the precinct by turning it into Parramatta's own Chinatown.
'We can see across Sydney, in Burwood, in Fairfield, in Cabramatta, these precincts bring communities and bring people. And what we're looking for is hoping to attract more young people to come to Parramatta,' he said.
At the southern end of Church Street sits the Chinese Grocery, which Sid Chen has owned and run for about 18 months. Before that, he operated the gift shop that used to be next door.
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