East Van Cross relocation to be pondered by City Council | Daily Hive

New location for East Van Cross to be considered by Vancouver City Council

The East Van Cross sign from SkyTrain VCC-Clark Station, and the ICBC office building construction site, as of February 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

After more than a decade and a half of being located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Clark Drive and East 6th Avenue/Great Northern Way, the East Van Cross could be on the move.

Next week, Vancouver City Council will deliberate a member motion by ABC city councillor Mike Klassen to relocate the tall public art installation, formally named the “Monument to East Vancouver,” to a more visually prominent and accessible location.

Klassen’s driving rationale for the big move is that the sign is now partly obscured from some perspectives by ICBC’s new 10-storey headquarters office building, which is located immediately to the west and set to reach completion in 2025.

Construction on the building topped out last week. Some public space improvements are planned for the space beneath the sign as a part of the office building project.

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Although the sign is situated next to SkyTrain’s VCC-Clark Station, its location next to a busy truck route has had mixed reviews over the years.

“Relocating the monument to a more accessible and visible location would enhance its symbolic significance and provide residents and visitors with a dedicated space to experience, photograph, and engage with the artwork,” reads Klassen’s motion.

“Relocating the East Van Cross would tangibly reaffirm the City’s commitment to public art and the legacy of East Vancouver’s cultural history.”

When this public art piece was being contemplated by the municipal government in the late 2000s, artist Ken Lum had originally proposed installing it at the highly prominent Mount Pleasant intersection of Main Street and Kingsway.

Leon Wang/ Shutterstock

The six-storey sign was erected at its current location in January 2010, just before the Winter Olympics, overlooking the False Creek Flats to the west. Embedded in the cross are the words “EAST,” which is spelled vertically, and “VAN,” which is spelled horizontally, with both words sharing the letter “A”. The sculpture sits on top of a concrete base pillar.

The symbol itself dates back to the 1940s and is rooted in graffiti culture, according to Klassen.

“The symbol reflects themes of marginality, defiance, and hope for East Vancouver, representing the diverse immigrant and working-class communities that have defined the area,” he wrote.

“Relocating the East Van Cross to a more accessible and visible location represents an opportunity to celebrate the cultural identity of East Vancouver while also addressing current challenges of visibility and accessibility.”

Previous condition:

east van cross skytrain vcc clark station

The “East Van” cross sign from SkyTrain VCC-Clark Station, and the ICBC headquarters office construction site, as of February 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

June 2024 condition:

icbc headquarters the hive 2150 keith drive vancouver construction june 12 2024

Construction progress on the new ICBC headquarters office at The Hive at 2150 Keith Drive, Vancouver, located next to SkyTrain VCC-Clark Station, as seen on June 12, 2024. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

If approved, the motion directs City staff to identify potential new location options for the sign, with considerations to public access and nearby amenities to allow visitors to experience the monument and take photographs safely and conveniently, and a public space design that respects and integrates with the monument’s original intent and artistic vision.

Key to the relocation considerations is a “prominent, highly visible and accessible location on the city’s Eastside,” which technically begins east of Ontario Street.

Klassen suggests such a project could be at least partly funded by the City’s existing developer-funded public art programs, as well as the possibility of philanthropic contributions and sponsorship.

City staff would report back on a strategy, new location options, timeline, and funding strategy by Summer 2025, with the plan developed in consultation with Lum and other relevant stakeholders.

This is not the first time there have been calls to relocate the sign in recent years. In early 2023, the Hastings North Business Improvement Association launched an online petition advocating for the East Van Cross to be moved to the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood in northeast Vancouver.

City staff are also expected to present a report soon, outlining their strategy for installing a permanent giant “VANCOUVER” sign, inspired by the recent proven success of temporary “VANCOUVER” sign installations at Canada Place and near the Coal Harbour waterfront.

2150 keith drive vancouver the hive icbc headquarters

Artistic rendering of the new ICBC headquarters office at The Hive at 2150 Keith Drive, Vancouver. (Dialog/BentallGreenOak)

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