It is natural that lovers do whatever they can to keep their love forever. Some people tattoo their lovers’ names, some carve on trees and some attempt to prove their loyalty by literally locking their love in public. They buy padlocks and inscribe their names or initials before attaching the lock to the bridge and throwing the key into the river as a sign of everlasting love. Metro Vancouver is no exception to this tradition and one can find ‘love locks’ built up on a chain link fence along the Fraser River at Westminster Pier Park in New Westminster [1].
Love locks first appeared in Paris decades ago and the trend soon prevailed to other cities from Venice to Moscow. While tourists gladly seal their love, a rising opposition from the locals has urged the authorities to take action in many cities. Their concern includes aesthetic reason and public safety, especially after part of the bridge in Paris collapsed under the weight of the locks. An American who lives in Paris, Lisa Taylor-Huff, even launched a campaign, “No Love Locks,” to stop the practice. There were also several attempts in Downtown Vancouver but were dismantled by the City of Vancouver officials soon afterwards.
Is there a solution to strike a balance between the desire of tourists to mark their love and to maintain the view and safety of city landscape? NPA Vancouver City Councillor George Affleck suggested finding a permanent site for the public to place their love locks.
“The love locks in the city have happened organically and spontaneously so I think there’s definitely a desire to have a permanent location in Vancouver,” Affleck told Vancity Buzz in July 2014 yet it was not supported by the City Council.
Perhaps we can all learn from the case in Moscow [2]. The authority placed metal “trees” along the bridge in 2007 so that couples can attach locks to those, instead of the railings. So the place remains an attraction to newlyweds and at the same time the bridge is protected.
Love locks might sound like a silly idea, yet they add a bit romance to our dull city life, if we find a way to not burden the bridges too much. They resemble loyalty while painting a colorful image of this thing we call love. Whether the couples stay together or not in the end, the locks show their once sincere love to each other. After all, nothing is better than showing the world your love of life.
[1] New love locks zone pops up at New Westminster, Kenneth Chan, Apr 13, 2015, Vancity Buzz
[2] Love actually or a bridge too far? Love locks around the world, Will Coldwell, Sep 10, 2014, The Guardian
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