1. That a Certificate of Suitability not be issued to maintain an existing, but unapproved, Electronic Messaging Centre sign at 388 Portage Avenue, as it is not compatible with the existing heritage building
This was added to the January 11, 2011 Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development Regular Meeting Agenda
The owners of the Boyd Building decided to kick City Council in the groin. The decided to build their electronic sign with no city approval and have dared council to do anything about it.
These owners have managed to turn any goodwill their purchase of the Boyd Building had a few years ago into hostility. They don't seem to care about promises they made on a parkade and turned the land next to their building into a surface lot right up to the sidewalk. They didn't seem to think the rules on signs applied to them and built their sign and started running ads right away annoying residents and distracting motorists.
It remains to be seen whether this city council will tell them they have gone too far.
Perhaps this council will say that rules were broken and will order the sign taken down.
Or they might approve it despite what their own civil servants advise. We'll see tomorrow.
