Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»is getting its own “iconic” sign.
City council voted 10-1 Wednesday to spend $300,000 towards the placement of a permanent Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»sign along the waterfront pathway between the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Convention Centre West building and Canada Place.
“My driving force in bringing this forward was really my love for Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»and my passion for the city, and wanting to celebrate that,” said Coun. Peter Meiszner, who pushed for a permanent sign in a motion to council in March 2024.
The big block-lettered sign is estimated to cost $550,000 to $1 million to design, construct and install, according to a staff report. An additional cost of $50,000 would also be required from the city for annual maintenance of the sign.
The actual sign is estimated to cost $250,000 to $350,000.
The cost was based on information provided by the cities of Toronto and Ottawa, which have publicly accessible signs. Recent “high-level estimates from local manufacturers” were also factored in the cost, said the report, noting the sign could be installed in early 2026, before the FIFA World Cup games in June of next year.
To date, Destination Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»($200,000) and Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Hotel Destination Association ($200,000) have committed to additional funding for the project. The Downtown Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Business Improvement Association will confirm in June its financial commitment.
The Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Convention Centre will provide in-kind contributions for site preparations.
Meiszner also received support Wednesday from his council colleagues to direct staff “to reinitiate engagement with community partners and interested local philanthropists” to further reduce the city’s financial contribution.
Popular spot for tourists
The sign has yet to be designed, but a suggested maximum size identified in the report puts the width at 13.5 metres, 1.8 metres in height and one metre in depth. It will be made of steel, with aluminum cladding and translucent polycarbonate.
“Customizable” LED lighting with ethernet connectivity for remote programming will also be considered, with the report adding: “Higher end pricing could include more dynamic displays that would be unique to Vancouver.”
Meiszner’s push for a permanent sign was inspired by a temporary Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»sign installed at Canada Place in the winter of 2023 as part of “Liven Up Coal Harbour.” The sign, which was located in the same area as the proposed location of a new structure, spelled out the city's name in red letters and was covered in light bulbs.
It proved to be a popular photo spot for tourists and locals, according to Meiszner and staff.
The Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Hotel Destination Association paid for the temporary sign and worked with the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Convention Centre and Port of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»to get it set up. It has since been removed.
Meiszner and councillors Sarah Kirby-Yung and Pete Fry questioned staff about the location of the sign in terms of how safe it would be for people gathering in the area, climbing on the sign and its proximity to the water.
Rachel Magnusson, the city’s associate director of street activities in engineering services, said those concerns will be addressed by staff once more discussions take place with the port and others involved in the project.
“It’s absolutely crucial — the safety piece,” said Magnusson, suggesting the sign’s proposed location could be shifted slightly to the east on the plaza, near an existing ticket booth for bus passengers.
'Cheapens the view a little bit'
Sean Orr was the only councillor to oppose the city spending money on a sign, arguing that he didn’t hear people say during his recent campaign to get elected in the April 5 byelection that a Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»sign was a priority.
“There was a lot of people struggling, a lot of people not being able to make ends meet,” said Orr, who also questioned the location of the sign, which has a backdrop of the North Shore mountains. “Kind of seems like Paris putting up a sign that says, ‘Paris’ in front of the Eiffel Tower; it just sort of maybe cheapens the view a little bit.”
The staff report said site selection criteria considered for the permanent sign included “a sense of place with a connection to iconic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»backdrops including the ocean, mountains and other city landmarks.”
Staff also considered ease of access and visibility, proximity to transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure and “space to safely accommodate groups of people, while easily fitting a large sign into a photo frame.”
Other locations explored
Council heard that several locations across the city were explored.
“Although other locations met some of the criteria for space requirements and iconic background, only Jack Poole Plaza and the proposed location had committed partnerships for funding, as well as ongoing programming and maintenance responsibilities,” the report said.
In discussion with Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Convention Centre, staff determined that a sign located in Jack Poole Plaza would conflict with regularly programmed events and would take away the ability to program an already highly used location.
Staff have also begun discussions on the project with the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation. To date, the nations have expressed interest in being included in the development of the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»sign, the report said.
“If this project proceeds, staff recommend that the local nations be provided with meaningful opportunities and time for participation for both the initial signage design as well as for site programming,” the report said.
Both Mayor Ken Sim and Coun. Lisa Dominato called the addition of the sign a “no-brainer,” citing the potential economic benefits of attracting more people downtown and promoting Vancouver.
“I'm super excited about this,” Sim said. “I think it plays a huge role in making Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»even cooler.”
