It’s a true sign of the times at Heritage Park Historical Village.
A replacement to a grocery store sign that once read ‘Safeway’, now bears the name of a prominent, hard-working man: Lim Soon Dayton.
He immigrated to Calgary from China when he was just 14 years old, eventually he opened up his own grocery store in Bridgeland in 1911.
Joanne Woo is Dayton’s granddaughter.
“My heart was pounding when I looked at it, just joy and pride they are featuring the Chinese culture,” Woo said.
The family said the permanent name change is a tangible way of recognizing the diversity of Calgary’s history.
“I would hope it will take discrimination away and people realize history and contribution Chinese have made to Calgary.”
This is the first time the grocery store in Gasoline Alley has been changed. Dayton’s other granddaughter, Terry Johnson, was moved by the gesture.
“It’s nice to see my grandpa get the recognition he deserved, he worked long and hard to get that.”
“Oh my gosh, he would so proud and I’m sure he’s looking down and just saying ‘wow,'” Johnson said.
“He was a remarkable man, he really was.”
“He offered credit to people in the community when they couldn’t afford groceries, he tried to make sure he was generous and a good Calgarian,” Johnson said.
Dayton came to Calgary when he was barely more than a child.
“At the age of 14, how can you be brought somewhere and know nothing and left everything you love behind you and how you survive that?” Joanne said.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize the sacrifices they made and the hardships of coming to a new country. I don’t think a lot of people can appreciate what they went through.”
He lived until he was 103. Kari Woo is his great-granddaughter and said this is healing for their family.
“He was very much, as many immigrants, invisible,” Kari said. “It feels amazing because now that history and his contributions are visible.”
The name change coincides with the opening of a temporary exhibit featuring the stories of early Chinatown called We Were Here: Stories from Early Chinatown.
Heritage Park curator, Kesia Kvill, said there is intention behind these exhibits.
“Calgary is diverse now, but it was diverse in the past. This was an opportunity to dig deeper and hear the oral histories and see who was here in early Alberta history and featuring as many people as we can,” Kvill said.
“It’s time we start making sure everyone coming here feels included and represented.”
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