Two neighbourhoods duel over iconic East Van Cross — but city says it’s staying put

Two east Vancouver neighbourhoods are jostling to be the new home for the iconic East Van Cross, but the city said Monday it has decided against moving it due to its cultural importance in its current spot.

The 17-metre sculpture — which spells out East Van in the shape of a Latin Christian cross — was erected in 2010 on a scrubby sliver of city-owned land on Clark Drive and East 6th Avenue.

While it’s off a busy arterial road and off the beaten track for tourists, the work by artist Ken Lum has become a much-loved and powerful monument of east Vancouver — if not all of Vancouver — and has been emblazoned on countless mugs, toques, key chains and other merchandise.

Its future on Clark Drive became uncertain because of construction on a nearby 10-storey building that would block sight lines to the popular work. Lum said he thinks it should be moved.

“It would look stupid there with a building in front of it,” he said bluntly.