City council approves pricey permanent ‘Vancouver’ sign on waterfront

Reaction is mixed after city council approved a plan to spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on a nine-letter sign.

A permanent Vancouver sign will be installed on the city’s waterfront.

On Wednesday, city council passed a staff report, titled “Permanent Outdoor Location for an Iconic Vancouver Sign Update.”

Coun. Peter Meiszner tabled a motion last year to initiate the report.

He said it stemmed from the popularity of a temporary sign at Canada Place last year.

“They really created a placemaking and civic pride point for Vancouverites,” he said. “Not just residents, but tourists alike.”

Staff will consult with the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations on the sign.

The report estimates the sign will cost between $550,000 and $1 million.

Destination Vancouver and the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association will contribute $200,000. The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association will also be contributing funding, according to the report.

Once the sign is installed, the city anticipates it will cost around $50,000 per year to maintain.

The city is expected to contribute around $300,000, but Meiszner tabled an amendment Wednesday to try to curb some of that cost.

His amendment asks staff, “to reinitiate engagement with community partners and interested local philanthropists, in order to further reduce the city’s financial contribution.”

The amendment passed unanimously.

At Wednesday’s presentation, Rachel Magnusson, the associate director of street activities in engineering services with the City of Vancouver, said staff identified a preferred location at 1055 Canada Place.

“It’s a great location with views, it’s accessible for transit,” she said.

Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung flagged some safety issues with that location.

“I’m just concerned,” she said. “What is the level of safety consideration we have given to that?”

Magnusson said staff did an assessment, which is why they’ll be removing planters in the area.

Magnusson added, staff looked to cities such as Toronto and Ottawa for guidance.

“For example, the Toronto sign is one of the top three tourist destinations in Toronto,” she said.

The report drew support from the majority of city councillors.

Coun. Sean Orr was the only councillor in opposition.

“Where it’s located in front of the mountains to me, kind of seems like Paris putting a sign in front of the Eiffel Tower,” he said. “Maybe cheapens the view a little bit.”

Former Vancouver city planner Sandy James agreed with Orr.

“It sounds very much like the point is to create a splash,” she said. “But we already have things that create splash, and that should be who we are as residents and citizens. This is not placemaking to stick a sign up. It’s kind of passé.”

The goal is for the sign to be in place before the city hosts the FIFA World Cup in 2026.