Jack Yee pays homage to his deceased parents at the Chinese Cemetery in Erlton, Calgary’s southwest region, where they rest alongside the city’s pioneer Chinese immigrants from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The cemetery, established in 1908, stands as one of Calgary’s most ancient cultural burial sites.
Over time, a number of original tombstones have deteriorated, slanting due to positioning or ground shifts. Yee emphasized the significance of the cemetery to the Chinese community, recognizing it as a place of reverence for ancestors and past generations.
As the head of the Calgary Chinatown Development Foundation, Yee collaborated with the City of Calgary to rejuvenate the historic cemetery. A feng shui expert from Vancouver evaluated the cemetery grounds, leading to a decision to revitalize the site.
In the past two summers, the city, along with numerous volunteers from the local Chinese community, safeguarded 343 historical graves and restored 177 monuments by resetting them on fortified soil bases. Gary Daudlin, the cemeteries management lead for the City of Calgary, emphasized the importance of honoring those buried at the site for future generations to appreciate their contributions to the community.
The restoration process involved meticulous repair work on the monuments to stabilize any cracks. Community translators aided in identifying inscriptions and ensuring the proper placement of stones. Calgary’s Chinese community members played a crucial role in revitalizing the cemetery by cleaning monuments and enhancing the turf through loaming, seeding, fertilizing, and watering.
A commemorative monument imported from China was erected to acknowledge the completion of work at the cemetery. The Erlton Chinese Cemetery has evolved into a sacred place of remembrance and community, particularly significant during times when Chinese residents faced exclusion from other burial grounds.
Calgary’s Chinese community, tracing back to the 1880s, endured discriminatory policies such as the head tax, which imposed financial burdens on Chinese immigrants. Despite adversities, the Chinese community thrived, becoming an integral part of Calgary’s growth and development.
The revitalization of the Erlton Chinese Cemetery symbolizes a gesture of remembrance and respect towards the early Chinese settlers, honoring their legacy and strengthening ties with future generations. Councilor Terry Wong of Ward 7 echoed the sentiment, acknowledging the pioneers’ struggles and contributions while preserving a vital aspect of Calgary’s heritage.
