Walking Tour: In the Footsteps of the Past | Retracing South Asian History in Kitsilano

We are reprising a popular walking tour from 2015 on the rich history of the South Asian community in Kitsilano. The tour will be led by Curator and Community Engagement Specialist Naveen Girn, Filmmaker and Researcher Paneet Singh and Historian Dr. Milan Singh.

In 1908, the first Sikh Gurdwara in North America opened in Kitsilano. Located at 1866 West 2nd Avenue, this religious, social and political gathering place was situated next to homes owned by the South Asian community and the saw mills where they worked. This walking tour will retrace the living legacy of this important space for the South Asian community by pointing out lost – and still existing – buildings that illustrate the intercultural past of Vancouver, the fight against racial discrimination, and the stories that still resonate today.