By: Kyrie Sismaet By: Kyrie Sismaet | November 21, 2022 | People, Lifestyle, Parties, Feature, Travel & Recreation, Story, City Life, Architecture, News and Features, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel, Events, Women of Influence Latest, Community,
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"The opening of the Central Subway couldn't come at a better time. Chinatown is recovering from the pandemic, anti-Asian hate and a slowdown of business in general." This statement, proudly given by Chinese Chamber of Commerce President Donald Luu, underscores the historically significant opening of San Francisco's new metro lines into Chinatown's new station, which grandly unveiled at 8am on Saturday, November 19th to a crowd of adoring spectators and commuters.
This muni line, named the Central Subway, redirects the T-Sunnydale train towards Chinatown's new Rose Pak Station in the heart of the storied neighborhood, including new stops on 4th and Brannan and Yerba Buena and Powell underground for easy SFMOMA and Union Square access. The new line begins with free weekend service that will extend into regular weekday service on January 7, 2023.
See also: The Ultimate Guide To San Francisco's Chinatown Neighborhood
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This new line embodies a monumental accomplishment that spanned three decades of development and construction, with a total cost of nearly $2 billion. Now city residents living on the eastern sides of the city from Sunnydale to Dogpatch and Mission Bay can easily and sustainably access Chinatown, opening up San Francisco's oldest cultural district to more visitors and encouraging a boost of tourism.
This feat did not come easy however, as the subway project exceeded its original budget and arrived four years past the expected completion date, not to mention navigating construction underneath San Francisco's densest locations downtown around Union Square. Though, like San Francisco's perservering spirit, the line was gloriously finished, declaring a legendary win for both the city's innovative transportation service and for Chinatown's integral and undying significance.
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Malcolm Yeung, the Executive Director of the Chinatown Community Development Center, gleefully elucidated, "I think this sends a signal to the city and the world that Chinatown is a permanent part of the fabric of San Francisco and it needs to be valued as such — and is valued as such." The line, which was originally meant to be directed more into the Financial District, was fought hard by Chinatown residents to be brought to their area, with one leader at the helm of this movement.
Rose Pak, whom the station is also named after, powerfully worked for the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and was an active organizer local events like the Chinese New Year Parade. Having also been a reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle in the 70's, her bold advocacy and headstrong approach to accurately representing the Asian community led her to rise as a city icon even beyond her passing in 2016.
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The station itself features elegant artwork, high ceilings, and escalators and elevators that plunge well beyond 100 feet underneath the city. The station gleams with a sleek and clean aesthetic, with sweeping futuristic architecture that truly defines San Francisco's innovation and community care.
The station was also blessed by Taoist monks in a special ceremony on its opening, and since then its opening weekend saw many smiles as excited passengers jubilantly boarded the trains to witness the new other stations and be a part of history. See some of the action here:
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The Chinatown-Rose Pak Station is located on 943 Stockton Street, and is offering free weekend rides until January 7, 2023 when it will begin full regular service.
See also: Bay Area Rapid Transit Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary
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