Giant spider sculpture in East Vancouver may be saved
There is new hope that a giant spider sculpture in East Vancouver may be saved, but it won’t remain in the same location.
The arachnid art display was put up near the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain Station in mid-March.
Just over a week after it appeared, the city announced it needed to be taken down.
“It’s got tons of people talking, which is the whole point of public art. The problem with it is that they didn't go through public art process the city has,” said Coun. Peter Meiszner. “One of the issues with the location of it is that it’s above an active rail line so there are some concerns there.”
After the unsanctioned art was ordered to be removed, the anonymous but well-known creator, Junko, took to social media to “save spidey.”
They called on Vancouverites and beyond to reach out to the city and push for it to stay.
“The city has received a high volume of feedback via 311 regarding the unsanctioned spider artwork, with the majority of it in favour of the arachnid,” the City of Vancouver said in a statement.
While the giant spider will be removed from its current East Vancouver location, Meiszner has asked city staff to work with the artist to have the sculpture re-homed.
“The fact that it’s 100 per cent recycled materials, it’s sustainable and it’s a great piece of art, it hits on several points we really want to elevate as the City of Vancouver,” he said.
Meiszner said it will still have to go through the city’s public art approval and review process before any next steps or decisions can be made, and it also needs to be cleared with the artist.
The removal process is complex, according to Meiszner, and it won’t be done overnight. He said the city won’t know for a few weeks how much the removal will cost.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Meta will test blocking news on Instagram, Facebook for some Canadians
Meta is planning to run a test that will block news for some Canadian users on Facebook and Instagram in response to the Liberal government's controversial online news bill.

Experts warn of 'rapid' growth of IBD as number of Canadians diagnosed set to reach 470K by 2035
The number of people in Canada with inflammatory bowel disease is increasing rapidly and is expected to grow to 470,000 by 2035, according to a new report from Crohn's and Colitis Canada
Hidden camera discovered in washroom at Gatineau, Que. elementary school
Gatineau police say officers responded to a call from staff at l’école l'Oiseau Bleu on Nelligan Street just after 10 a.m. Friday about a camera found in the washroom.
New non-invasive tool detects early stages of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
Researchers at Carleton University's Department of Electronics in Ottawa created a ground-breaking testing device to detect early signs of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s through biomolecular activities in a person’s saliva.
Jordan's royal wedding gets underway in ceremony packed with stars and deep symbolism
The wedding of Jordan's crown prince to the scion of a prominent Saudi family began on Thursday in a palace celebration that drew massive crowds and a mood of excitement around the kingdom, while presenting the young Hashemite royal as a new player on the global stage.
'Tone-deaf': Singh slams rapporteur Johnston for not stepping down
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh slammed foreign interference special rapporteur David Johnston's refusal to heed the House of Commons' call for him to step down as 'tone-deaf.'
Despite munchies, frequent cannabis users are leaner and less likely to get diabetes: study
Despite the 'munchies' being a common cannabis effect, frequent users are leaner and less likely to develop diabetes than people who don't use the drug. According to a new study, cannabis use in teenage years may alter how the body's fat cells work.
Man accused of threatening to shoot Toronto mayoral candidates arrested
A man who allegedly threatened to shoot mayoral candidates that led to the cancellation of Thursday’s debate has been arrested.
Collapsed platform in Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar last repaired a decade ago: city
The elevated walkway in Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar that collapsed during a school field trip, sending 16 children and one adult to hospital, was last repaired a decade ago.