Love lock sculpture coming to Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Park

Eternal love will soon have a new home in Vancouver, following the park board decision last night to erect a new love lock sculpture overlooking the city from Queen Elizabeth Park.

On Tuesday night the board approved a plan to commission a sculptor to create a love lock sculpture that is "unique to Vancouver and complement[s] the specific place that it is located in."

The city still needs to pick the precise location for the love lock sculpture, but is considering several spots. No cost has been set for the project.

Park Board Commissioner John Coupar said he believes people will make the trip up the hill to Queen Elizabeth Park if they know their locks will have an eternal home.

"People are looking for a spot, because it's got to be disappointing when you put your lock up and you want to have a symbol of your love and all of a sudden it is removed."

"I think people can have the assurance that once we decide on a space they can symbolize there love together and they can have their lock up there."

Seaside locations rejected

The decision comes after the city asked the public to weigh in on several possible options in an online survey, after concerns were raised about the number of love locks being attached to the fencing on the Burrard Bridge.

Votes for the sculpture location were spread amongst the 13 park choices, and no one park emerged with a majority vote. The most popular locations, with the greatest proportion of votes were English Bay Beach Park (33 per cent), Queen Elizabeth Park (24 per cent), and Kitsilano Beach Park (23 per cent).

Even though the Queen Elizabeth Park was the public's second choice, the board rejected erecting the sculpture at two other popular choices, Kits Beach and English Bay, because of the archeological sensitivity of the sites.

"There is strong cultural connection to these locations and the Park Board is currently collaborating with representatives from the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Initial discussions with staff and the First Nations confirm that, of the top three locations, the only suitable location for the sculpture is in Queen Elizabeth Park," said the staff report.

Other factors included the dangers posed by all the discarded keys, possible corrosion from sea water salt spray during storms, preserving limited green space and rising sea levels.