A new vintage-style neon light on Davie Street has stolen the hearts of many, but that love affair could be short lived unless steps are taken to make it a permanent feature.
The Heart of Davie Village sign has a pink heart with the words Davie Village emblazoned across it 鈥� the word 鈥淒avie鈥� has been done in glowing white neon, while 鈥淰illage鈥� is made up of a rainbow of colours, a fitting landmark for the historic neighbourhood home to many members of the city鈥檚 LGBTQ+ community. The heart, which sits atop a tall pole on Davie Street just west of Burrard Street, was installed last December as part of the West End鈥檚 fourth annual Lumi猫re light festival. The sign is the work of artist Jim Balakshin.
West End resident Mark Janssen told the Courier the moment he saw the sign he called the West End Business Improvement Association to inquire about its status.
鈥淎nd my heart sank when I found out it wasn鈥檛 permanent,鈥� said Janssen. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I went to Change.org and started the .鈥�
Janssen said fighting for the sign is an extension of the work he does on his website, which he started three years ago as a way to acknowledge not only the neighbourhood he loves, but also as a nod to community leaders such as city councillor Tim Stevenson and community activists, including Barb Snelgrove and the late .听
鈥淎nd there鈥檚 been a groundswell of support,鈥� said Janssen. 鈥淭here are already more than 1,200 signatures and there鈥檚 been lots of media coverage. People generally support it.鈥�
A plaque at the bottom of the sign reads in part, 鈥淪ince their first recorded history, 鈥榞ay villages鈥� have played an important role in the increased visibility and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.鈥�
The plaque is a reminder that, at a time when homosexuality was illegal, few establishments welcomed members of the queer community, with the exception of bars, nightclubs and bathhouses: 鈥淟ike the signs of early gay-friendly businesses, the Heart of Davie Village gateway sign will be a beacon for the community that will symbolize the reorganizing of heteronormative spaces into more welcoming and safe landscapes...鈥�
Stephen Regan, executive director of the West End BIA, said he鈥檇 like to sign to remain in the village but added there are many logistics to consider before that can happen, including garnering permission from the city and then a decision on where the money would come from for maintenance.
鈥淓verything is within the realm of possibility,鈥� said Regan. 鈥淏ut the city probably doesn鈥檛 want the maintenance cost. Lights like this look really nice when they鈥檙e new, but if a bulb burns out, who fixes that? It might be $700 for a minor repair and the artist isn鈥檛 in the position to do that.鈥�
Regan said the cost of power and liability insurance, as well as finding a piece of land for a permanent home for the sign also have to be considered.
Stevenson is a fan of the sign.
鈥淎nything that helps anchor that street as the gay village,鈥� said Stevenson, the first openly gay person to be ordained as minister of the United Church of Canada and a member of 麻豆传媒映画City Council. 鈥淏ut we haven鈥檛 seen anything formal from the BIA yet.鈥�
He noted the BIA is already responsible for some specialized lighting in the West End, so the group is familiar with what that entails. But, with a deadline of Feb. 23 looming, the fate of the sign should soon be decided.
@sthomas10
