Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1974 - 2010 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
35 cm of textual records.
4 publications.
[130] photographs.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
David Chuen-Yan Lai was born in Hong Kong. He received his PhD from the London School of Economics and began teaching as an assistant professor in geography at the University of Victoria in 1968. A long-time resident of Saanich, Dr. Lai was a member (1982) and Chair (1983 and 1989) of the Saanich Heritage Advisory and Archival Committee and was involved in establishing the Saanich Heritage Foundation. This work earned him a Heritage Society of BC award in 1985. He is a member of the Order of Canada and received the Gabrielle Leger award from Heritage Canada. Dr. Lai, known for his research on Chinese communities and Chinatowns in Canada, is the author of a number of publications including "The Forbidden City Within Victoria: Myth, Symbol and Streetscape of Canada's Earliest Chinatown", Victoria, B.C.: Orca Book Pub., 1991. David Lai died June 15, 2018.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated in 2017.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Fonds consists of papers and reports relating to Dr. Lai's community work, especially his work relating to Chinese heritage and Chinatown. Fonds includes materials from his time as Chair and member of the Saanich Heritage Advisory and Archival Committee, and to the Saanich Heritage Awareness Program in particular. Topics include Chinese-Canadian history, Chinatown, and D'Arcy Island. Includes correspondence, news clippings, articles, photographs, film negatives, colour slides, and posters. Fonds includes material in Chinese and English.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
No restrictions.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- Chinese
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
File list available.
Finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Accession numbers: 2017-006, 2017-009.
Note
Oversize material stored separately.