May 22, 2003

City relights the Woodward’s “W” sign

In a ceremony at Victory Square this evening, Mayor Larry Campbell switched on the “W” atop the Woodward’s building, bringing back to life the landmark sign, which once symbolized downtown Vancouver.

The sign has sat atop the department store since 1958, but had been turned off in the ten years since the Woodward’s store closed. Only the neon portions of the sign were restored and illuminated for the occasion. The W sign is 23 feet wide, 16’8” high and weighs 5,956 lbs. It is supported by an 80-feet-high tower. It is also covered by 652 incandescent 50-watt bulbs.

“We hope to launch a campaign whereby we sell each bulb for a $100 donation. The money raised will help bring the sign back to its original look, while allowing individual citizens to play a role in its restoration,” said Mayor Campbell. “In that way, perhaps the sign symbolizes more than anything else the work we still have to do here. We are just at the beginning of this journey.”

A number of historical Hastings Street merchant families (the Paris, Wosk and Goldman families) along with private companies (Pattison Sign Group and Davidson Yuen Simpson Architects) and David Podmore donated funds or services to help with the restoration of the sign.

The lighting ceremony wrapped up a week of community workshops on the revitalization of Woodward’s and will help launch the upcoming Ideas Fair to be held Saturday, May 24 at the Chinese Cultural Centre. At this all-day event, Vancouver residents, community groups, housing societies, retailers, educational institutions, architects, and developers will be asked to join together and help develop a vision for the future of Woodward’s.

The City purchased the Woodward’s site in March 2003.

Media enquiries:
Catherine Clement
Director of Communications
604.873.7270

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© 2003 City of Vancouver

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Last modified: Friday, May 23, 2003