Santa Cruz may name pedestrian bridge in honor of Chinese immigrants

Before the 1950s and for 100 years, Chinese immigrants work hard at work building up what would eventually be the foundation of Santa Cruz.

“What we’ve learned is Chinese-Americans did a lot of jobs people didn’t want to do,” says Greg Pepping of the Coastal Watershed Council. “They were day laborers and worked at a lot of laundromats in town.”

Pepping says Chinese residents populated an area of Santa Cruz which the city would designate as “Chinatown.”

Chinatown itself went through four different regions before a devastating flood hit the latest Chinatown area in 1955 and forced residents away.

Now–city leaders want to recognize the work of Chinese immigrants by renaming a pedestrian bridge in Santa Cruz the “Chinatown Bridge.”

This bridge leads directly into where the last of the four Chinatown areas stood in the city.

“Chinese Americans played a key role in the history of Santa Cruz. They were persecuted they weren’t welcomed a lot of times and yet they played a key role so it’s important we remember our history and pay tribute to a number of people who played an important role in Santa Cruz,” says Pepping.

Santa Cruz city council members are in the beginning stages of the renaming process.

Council has asked the Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Commission for their input and approval.

The city had approved a motion to ask for such input and approval during a city council meeting in late June.