Latest news with #VancouverSign
CBC
22-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Photo ready: City votes to install giant $1M Vancouver sign along waterfront
A giant Vancouver sign will be coming back to the city's waterfront after a smaller temporary version was a big hit in 2023 among tourists and residents, even though the new, permanent one could cost up to $1 million. On Wednesday, city council voted 10 to one to approve the city's portion of the cost — up to $300,000 in capital costs and $50,000 in operating costs. It will now push forward with feasibility and design work to have the sign — akin to ones in Toronto and Ottawa — installed along the Coal Harbour waterfront between the convention centre and Canada Place. "This is a no-brainer," said Mayor Ken Sim about the idea, arguing a giant sign for Vancouver is de rigueur in an age of place-making photo taking for social media and promotion of the city. "It plays a huge role in making Vancouver even cooler … there will be a buzz." In the winter of 2023 and 2024, a temporary sign with red letters and light bulbs was installed as part of a campaign called Liven UP Coal Harbour and paid for by the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association in partnership with the Vancouver Convention Centre and the Port of Vancouver, according to a report from city staff. It caught the eye of city councillors who asked staff to investigate a more permanent sign that would be bigger, could light up in different ways or even be wrapped in art. Up to $1 million price tag The staff report said the project could cost up to $1 million total, with up to $350,000 for the sign itself, and the rest for site preparation, a base, electrical connections, involving the local nations of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh and then annual maintenance. The size is estimated to be 13.5 metres in width, 1.8 metres high and one metre deep, according to the report. Destination Vancouver has already committed to $200,000 for the project, as has the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association. "People will flock to this sign for photos, for video," said Coun. Peter Meiszner. "Tourists … sharing those photos and videos on social media around the world helps promote Vancouver as well as it really being a point of civic pride for locals." WATCH: What you need to know about Vancouver's big new sign Giant 'Vancouver' sign returns to waterfront but with hefty price tag attached 16 hours ago Duration 2:01 A large Vancouver sign will be coming back to the city's waterfront. A temporary version was a big hit in 2023 among tourists and residents. City councillors have voted to bring it back to Coal Harbour permanently. But as Chad Pawson reports, the sign comes with quite the price tag. Councillors amended the original motion to instruct staff to further explore funding partnerships or donations for the project to further drive down costs. 'Cheapens the view?' Along with its costs, there were also questions about how the sign could possibly obscure the view of the ocean and the framing mountains at the site. Coun. Sean Orr said that at a time when many Vancouver residents were struggling with the cost of living, spending money on a giant sign should not be a priority and could be even viewed as superfluous. "I am just unfortunately concerned about the optics, the cost also," he said. "Some of the talk about the safety issues, as well as where it's located in front of the mountains, to me, kind of seems like Paris putting up a sign that says 'Paris' in front of the Eiffel Tower. "It maybe cheapens the view a little bit." Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung told staff she wanted to ensure that the sign in its proposed location would be able to accommodate crowds and not result in people being pushed back into the roadway and potential danger, citing a 2017 incident when a tourist was killed and his relatives injured after being struck by a tour bus in the area. "I'm going to trust in the process, but I have very clear expectations with staff doing their due diligence with respect to safety, and I feel that that was heard loud and clear," she said. If everything goes to plan, city staff said the sign could be up by as early as next spring before a crush of tourists is expected to attend games in Vancouver for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, which starts in June.
CBC
22-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Giant ‘Vancouver' sign returns to waterfront but with hefty price tag attached
A large Vancouver sign will be coming back to the city's waterfront. A temporary version was a big hit in 2023 among tourists and residents. City councillors have voted to bring it back to Coal Harbour permanently. But as Chad Pawson reports, the sign comes with quite the price tag.
CTV News
18-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Permanent ‘Vancouver' sign will cost city at least $300K: report
A new temporary Vancouver sign has gone up in Coal Harbour. (CTV News) Setting up a permanent – and 'iconic' – Vancouver sign downtown will cost the city at least $300,000, according to a report coming to council this week. Last year, a temporary illuminated sign in Coal Harbour proved popular for tourists and selfie-seekers, prompting a motion from Coun. Peter Meiszner that would create a permanent installation. City staff have come back with a report titled 'Permanent Outdoor Location for an Iconic Vancouver Sign Update' proposing a location and timeline, and an estimate for what the sign and its upkeep will cost. The location proposed is 1005 Canada Place and the goal is to have it installed in the first quarter of 2026 so it will be place before the FIFA World Cup, according to the report. The total cost of the sign is estimated at between $550,000 and $1 million, but private partners have already committed to a substantial amount of the total. Destination Vancouver will contribute $200,000 as will the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association. The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association will also be contributing funding, according to the report. Vancouver sign A rendering in a report coming to city council shows the location of a permanent Vancouver sign. The $300,000 from taxpayers will come from 'surplus line items' in the operating budget – with the caveat that using the money for the sign will 'reduce funding available to address potential future pressures.' Economic uncertainty from the trade war means that the estimates are according to the report, are also 'subject to sudden changes,' according to the report. Local First Nations will be consulted and the final plan is expected to include 'meaningful and permanent cultural representation,' the report says. Once the sigh is installed, the city anticipates it will cost around $50,000 per year to maintain. Council will vote on the recommendations in the report on Wednesday.
