Seniors return to Vancouver mall for tai chi sessions 6 months after staff kicked them out

On Monday and Friday mornings, Vancouver's Chinatown Plaza Mall buzzes with the sound of peaceful music and dozens of smiling seniors gathered in a circle in the centre, stretching and moving their bodies.

The group of about 50 low-income seniors from Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside meet bi-weekly for a tai chi morning exercise session, organized by the Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice. 

Six months ago, the group was kicked out of the mall — owned by the City of Vancouver and managed by EasyPark — during one of their sessions, for using the space without permission. 

Organizers told CBC at the time that mall staff made culturally insensitive comments, attempted to physically stop the seniors' movements, and flagged a police officer over.

Since then, the group has been working with the city and obtained permission to use the space, says Sean Cao from the Yarrow Society. 

WATCH | Seniors return to Vancouver mall for tai chi after being kicked out by staff: 

Seniors return to Vancouver mall for tai chi meetup after city apologizes

1 year ago

Duration 2:13

In May 2023, mall staff kicked out a group of low-income seniors who met twice a week at the city-owned Chinatown Plaza Mall to do tai chi. The City of Vancouver has since apologized for the way the incident was handled, and granted the group permission to use the space.

"Restoring this trust takes time and effort," said Cao, adding that many of the seniors felt "despised" when they were kicked out of the mall.

"The seniors are slowly starting to feel empowered to revisit the space." 

The Yarrow Society resumed the tai chi sessions at Chinatown Plaza Mall on Nov. 3. 

They can use the space for their meetups until March, at which time the city will assess if they may continue.

Cao said the city and EasyPark have made a commitment to support the seniors during their morning exercise and rectify any issues they may experience while using the space.

He says many seniors are happy to have the space back, and that the sessions not only provide benefits to physical health, but also mental health, giving seniors the chance to get out and socialize. 

"A lot of seniors are isolated seniors, living by themselves," he said. 

In a statement to CBC, the city said it intends to increase access to the space for community uses and special events in the future.

It said the group's presence in the mall enlivens the space and increases foot traffic that benefits the local businesses. 

"The trial periods are there to ensure that the space use is meeting the needs of both the community users and the existing retail businesses in the concourse area of the plaza," read the statement. 

Lack of space in Chinatown

Cao said the Chinatown community is facing a lack of community spaces to gather, and it has been challenging to find a suitable indoor space for tai chi.

Previously, the seniors used the Sun Wah Centre for the tai chi sessions, a space Cao said is too small, does not have washrooms, and lacks air conditioners during the summer.

He said the group brings vibrancy to the main level of the mall, which has many vacant storefronts.

"This city-owned shopping mall has a lot of potential. I hope that our exercise group is just the beginning of utilizing the space," he said.