VANCOUVER -- The Granville Street Bridge got a whole lot glitzier this week as Vancouver's newest piece of public art was unveiled.
A $4.8 million rotating chandelier designed by an Abbotsford artist now hangs under the bridge at Beach Avenue. The fixture was paid for by developer Westbank, which built a nearby condo tower.
Hundreds turned up to the unveiling Wednesday, which showed the chandelier descending slowly from the bridge, then spinning for nearly two minutes before returning to its starting position.
"'Spinning Chandelier' will quickly become an urban icon, turning a dark under-bridge into the enjoyable focus of public celebration," Westbank says on its website.
The chandelier was supposed to be spinning twice a day already, but Westbank says it’s still being tweaked. It’s now scheduled to start working by the end of next week, at which point the chandelier is expected to drop and spin twice a day at noon at 9 p.m.
Council approved the artwork, designed by Rodney Graham, in 2015. The city's bylaws require developers with a building over 100,000 square feet to contribute a piece of public art.
Westbank commissioned the piece, appropriately named "Spinning Chandelier," for its Vancouver House development on Howe Street near Beach Avenue.
