A new addition to the streets of Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood is injecting a dose of colour into the grey landscape amid this week’s particularly drab weather. The corner of West 4th Avenue and Yew Street was given a makeover Thursday via a new sign, designed by Low Tide Properties Ltd, one of Lululemon founder and billionaire Chip Wilson’s numerous business ventures. The sign is a large-scale, flamboyant piece that wouldn’t look out of place on the Vegas strip. Built like a retro directional sign, it sees a black pole topped with a vivid “Kits Corner” logo, complete with neon-lit wording and flashing bulbs. Beneath it sits bright arrows in yellow, red, blue, and green depicting the local summer hotspots of “Wreck beach,” “Kits Beach,” “Jericho Beach,” and “Sunset Beach,” alongside the words “peace” and “love.” Claire MacDonald, asset manager at Low Tide Properties, said the site was chosen as the real-estate business views Kits Corner as “the spot” on West 4th Avenue. “It’s where run clubs finish their loop, cyclists end their ride, or people soak in the sun with nowhere to be,” she said. MacDonald promised that the Kits Corner sign is “just the start” of the rejuvenation the business has planned for the little pocket of Kitsilano. “We did it because we believe in this neighbourhood and want to continue elevating and maintaining its unique energy and irreverent, fun culture,” she said. “We’re building this into the most iconic and fun corner in Kits.” In a statement, Chip Wilson said his family has been involved in the ownership of 23 locations on West 4th, and the unveiling of the Kits Corner sign is the “icing on the cake” after nearly 40 years of living, working and investing in the neighborhood. “My wife, family and I have been in Kits since the 1986 World Fair,” said Wilson. “We live and breathe everything that’s Kitsilano, from the beach to tennis to volleyball to the amazing people who have a way of living that elevates the world.” Kitsilano has always been “bold, creative and a little counterculture,” said Wilson, adding how he wants that “red thread” to continue running through the community. “From Westbeach to lululemon, Ride Cycle Club, Peak Performance, Arc’teryx, Kit and Ace, TurF and more, we’re committed to keeping the spirit of Kits alive,” he said. With cafes, businesses and the beach nearby, the corner is frequently traversed by tourists and Vancouver locals, particularly in summer, and local businesses have said the sign is already influencing the numerous people that have passed through since its installation. “All the guests have commented on it and have said they love it, it’s certainly become a hot topic of conversation,” said 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters spokesperson Robert Simes. The majority of the staff, who will now be working directly opposite the sign on West 4th, said they “love the retro feel,” said Simes. “We love the new sign,” added Jane McFadden, executive director of the Kitsilano 4th Ave Business Association. “It’s such a fun and iconic addition to the neighbourhood.”
