A group of Vancouver activists is urging city hall to commemorate an often forgotten part of the city's history — the small black community called Hogan's Alley near the Main Street train station.

Writer Wayde Compton says the neighboorhood was demolished forty years ago in order to make way for the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts, which now pass over the area.

But now that the city is contemplating tearing down the viaducts and redeveloping the area, Compton wants the city to include a memorial to the once vibrant black community in any future plans.

"What we want is the city to acknowledge the fact it has a black population and has had one for the entire length of its existence," said Compton.

Many who lived the community, which was centred around the intersection of Main and Union Streets, worked as porters at the nearby train station, but the neighborhood also had its rough side, Compton says.

"There were a lot of bootlegging places, and gambling joints, but also the church and there were families," said Compton.

But nowadays the only reminder is a small building on Prior Street that has been set up to pay tribute to the late Jimi Hendrix, whose grandmother lived up the street.

City councillor Geoff Meggs supports the memorial idea.

"The more we can do to point people to reminders of our city's history, its complex and sometimes conflicted past, is a good thing," he said.

In the meantime Wayde Compton says he'll keep pushing until Hogan's Alley is given its rightful place in Vancouver's history books.