Royal Ottawa's glowing sign sparks anger

Erik Sine · February 11, 2008

Tim Shufelt, Ottawa Citizen

Published: Monday, February 11, 2008

The illuminated sign on the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre is either a striking symbol of overcoming stigma and integrating the treatment of mental illness into mainstream health care, or an artificial moon glowing through the windows of nearby houses, disrupting sleep and fraying nerves. It all depends on who you ask.

Some Carlington residents say the sign, which lights up in the evenings, is too big and too bright.

"I can see it from my bedroom window," said Anne Woo, who lives on Stevenson Avenue. "I just think it's bizarre they put it up. It's not Vegas."

Councillor Maria McRae has fielded numerous complaints from her constituents about the sign, which is in violation of the city's bylaws, she said. The area's zoning only allows for logo signs to be displayed that prominently, and illuminated signs are restricted to the first and second storeys.

City council will be voting tomorrow on an application for exemptions from the bylaws to allow the centre to continue powering up its sign.

Ms. McRae said she doesn't object to the sign's size or the fact that it is higher than permitted, but says the sign should not be illuminated as a courtesy to the centre's neighbours.

"The residents value the (centre), but they have what I would consider to be very serious quality of life issues with the illumination in their houses," Ms. McRae said.

However, an architect of the centre, which was opened in October 2006 after undergoing a $132-million redevelopment, pointed to a report indicating the sign contributed only nominally to additional light in the neighbourhood.

"The report said there are all sorts of sources of light there from streetlights to traffic, and the sign was no greater or less than any of those," Ritchard Brisbin said.

He said he believes the complaints are more rooted in the lingering stigma of mental illness and resistance to having a prominent mental health facility for a neighbour.

"The fact is, light isn't an issue. That's been demonstrated by people whose business it is to study these things. What other conclusion can we come to?" Mr. Brisbin said.

Ms. McRae, however, said her constituents are opposed to the centre's sign, not its mission.

"I respect, far too much, the work of the (centre), and recognize there's a need to discuss issues regarding mental illness in the community. And I would never tolerate anything that even approached that kind of debate," Ms. McRae said.

According to Ms. Woo, part of the disagreement stems from what the neighbourhood perceives as a lack of concern on the part of the centre.

"We spent a year asking them nicely, and they spent a year ignoring us," she said. "If you really care for your neighbours' mental health, you wouldn't be irritating us so much."

Graham Bird, who oversaw the redevelopment, said the community was regularly consulted over the course of the centre's transformation.

"We were dealing with it pretty professionally and pretty thoroughly. We didn't get up in the morning and try to upset the neighbours," he said.

Mr. Bird said it's important to keep the sign glowing. "The sign is symbolic of our pride in this; this isn't something to be ashamed of anymore. It's part of the gesture. And in terms of rebranding the Royal, we wanted to make something that was striking."

He added: "It's important we stand tall about this and say: 'This is the right thing'."