Vancouver's biggest billboard has to come down: judge

The B.C. Supreme Court has ruled that the big billboard on the Lee building at Broadway and Main contravenes a 1972 city bylaw prohibiting rooftop billboards.

The judge's ruling upholds a city order to remove the signs believed to be the oldest and biggest billboard in Vancouver.

• LINK: Full text of court decision

Mayor Sam Sullivan applauds the ruling, saying the sign was in clear violation of the bylaw.

"We used to have billboards all over the place, on tops of buildings, at the entrances of bridges and councils in the past decided that that is not the kind of city that we want."

• LINK: 2002 city report on the billboard

An owner of the historic building says the removal of big rooftop billboard would be a mistake. And Robert Kollen says the city should be looking for ways to license billboards in Vancouver to make money.

"It's very short-sighted in this time of restraint when there is something that's already existing, that the city could use to generate increased revenues by possibly exploring a licensing system for existing things such as this. "

The first billboard that was erected on the Lee Building was in 1954. Kollen says money generated from the sign is re-invested in the maintenance of the building.