Government officials join the Leong family in designating Bow On Tong and Wing Wah Chong as historic sites. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge’s Chinatown buildings named historical sites

Jul 31, 2019 | 2:42 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Members of the provincial government were in the city Wednesday to designate the Bow On Tong Co. and Wing Wah Chong Co. buildings Provincial Historic Resource Designation.

They were joined by the Leong family, who ran the businesses since they were established in 1919 and 1908 respectively.

Albert Leong was born in the Bow On Tong store in 1941 and recounted with a smile on his face the many memories he had in there as a child. He admitted that this would never be allowed today, but in those days, there was gambling and alcohol in the backs of every store, and even as kids, they too would partake.

Wing Wah Chong (left) and Bow On Tong (right) buildings. (Supplied by Galt Museum and Archives)

Wing Wah Chong (left) and Bow On Tong (right) buildings. (Lethbridge News Now)

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By the 1960’s, he took over operations and ran it for the next 50 years before the store closed.

He explains that, back then, Chinese people in Lethbridge were only allowed to open stores on 2nd Avenue between the brewery and Galt Gardens, so 80-100 Chinese people ended up living in just a couple blocks of each other.

Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism, and the Status of Women Leela Sharon Aheer went deeper into how the Leong family helped so many Chinese immigrants.

“They had helped out many, many Chinese immigrants that came through here, kept them at home in their basement, set up several businesses that went through here, and it was really a hub for the community to grow.”

Leong says he was thrilled to be there for the announcement.

“Having it declared a historic (site) means the place can’t be torn down. It’ll be nice to have this place still here when I’m gone for at least a couple more generations. All of these old places around town are practically gone, and although the buildings aren’t that much, there’s quite a bit of history behind each of them.”

Minister Leela Sharon Aheer (left) presenting a plaque to Albert Leong (right). (Lethbridge News Now)

Aheer spoke about how the Bow On Tong is one of 10 endangered buildings in Canada, meaning that they are at risk due to overall poor conditions that developed over a long period of time.

Both buildings already have historic site designation from the City of Lethbridge, but that only covers the front exterior. The provincial designation protects the entire sites and ensures that they cannot be torn down without the consent of the family and the government.