Little Saigon, Divided by a Bridge

There is no mistaking why the stretch of Bolsa Avenue in Westminster is called Little Saigon. There are noodle shops, dimly lit coffee bars so cool on a summer afternoon, store after store with names emblazoned in Vietnamese lining the street.

The area represents a determined attempt by emigres to re-create the ambience of Vietnam. For those of different ethnic backgrounds, it offers a window into one of the many cultures of Asia, a welcome presence in increasingly diverse Orange County.

But a developer’s proposal to build a massive pedestrian bridge, 500 feet long, connecting the Asian Village Mall on one side of Bolsa Avenue with the Asian Garden Mall on the other side touched off controversy.

The Westminster City Council welcomed the proposal, believing it would increase business and the city’s tax revenue. The city’s planning commission approved the bridge but withheld a final decision on the design. And it was the design that posed problems. A number of Vietnamese objected to the developer’s design on the grounds it reflected more of China than of Vietnam. China dominated Vietnam for centuries; even when it was too weak to exert control, its cultural influence was strong. Less than 20 years ago, the two nations fought a brief series of skirmishes.

Although those quarrels should not continue in this country, a leader of the objecting Vietnamese called on developers to be more sensitive to the Vietnamese community’s culture. That requires walking a fine line.

In a nation of immigrants with the goal of having different communities get along, if not blend, no group should have veto power over another group’s architecture. That leads to balkanization. The proposal for a bridge undoubtedly rekindled old bad feelings because the developer several years ago wanted the name changed from Little Saigon to “Asiantown,” to appeal to more visitors.

Rather than change the design, the developer scrapped the proposal for a bridge, which was wise. He said he will work on other plans to draw tourists to the mile-long commercial area, including a large outdoor plaza. Little Saigon has a special ambience, and it ought to be possible on all sides to have harmonious relations between neighbors in Westminster.