I don’t agree with that take. This was a flawed, insufficient and also consultation-flouting process on the part of City Hall, and an irresponsibly careless approach to a decision that will not cost $8,000 in the end but something in the neighbourhood of $200,000. Furthermore, what is the point of a vote at City Council when the final decisions were made months before? This isn’t a mob thwarting democracy; I feel it’s a group of concerned citizens questioning an iffy undemocratic process and asking for a re-do. I think your description of events is inaccurate.

I would agree, Leon. I was trying to be harder on the politicians than the designer, but the incompetence of this design is just unacceptable. Still, how did this get past staff, council, various gatekeepers? But then the bureaucracy at City Hall has been gutted and politicized and there are a lot of yes men there now, and not a lot of experience – the experience both to know this is an unacceptable design, and to know that Vancouverites would be pissed off. This council is inside its own culty bubble.