East Van’s Storm Brewing told to remove mural after 10 years

Momentum to save a beloved mural in East Vancouver appears to be building, after the city said it would have to be removed.

The exterior wall of Storm Brewing has been adorned with images of its name, brewing equipment, and several rats for nearly 10 years.

But owner James Walton says bylaw officers recently informed him the artwork wouldn’t qualify for a mural permit, since it’s too much like an advertisement for alcohol.

“It just seems to me like they’ve got too much time on their hands and they’re looking for things to do. It’s like suddenly they have more inspectors,” he told CityNews Thursday.

“They say that this art promotes beer and has rats on it — which is our mascot. It’s not really our mascot but we do like rats. But seriously.”

The mural outside Storm Brewing features the business’ name and images of rats. The City of Vancouver has told the brewery it has to remove the art piece, despite it being up for 10 years. (Angela Bower, CityNews Image)

According to Walton, the mural was painted in 2014. At the time, he says he didn’t know he was breaking a bylaw.

“The building kept getting tagged and it looked horrible, so getting those guys to put a mural on it kind of protected it from further encroachment of garbage art,” he explained.

“I just think that it’s local artists doing their thing. I didn’t tell them what to put on it, they just went, ‘Okay, let’s put some rats and beer on it.’ And I said, great. So they came up with it, it’s not like I was trying to advertise. It’s just the expression of the people that were here.”

But now, he says the city is telling him he has to paint the wall white and “get an approved design on it that has nothing to do with beer or rats” within a month.

The mural outside Storm Brewing features the business’ name and images of rats. The City of Vancouver has told the brewery it has to remove the art piece, despite it being up for 10 years. (Angela Bower, CityNews Image)

“We don’t have a plan for what we can put on it. Butterflies and flowers or something? I have no idea. A continuation of my garden out there along the side? I have no idea.”

Walton points to other murals across the city that also promote businesses.

“Why are they picking on us?” he asked. “It doesn’t seem really fair.

Walton posted about the order on Instagram Wednesday. In the post, the business encouraged people to “come down to Storm over the next month” to snap photos of the mural, described as an “iconic part of our brewery’s history.”

“From wedding photos, engagement photos, birthday photos, and more – we appreciate every single person who’s posed here with family and friends,” the post concludes.

Since going public with the city’s demand, Storm Brewing has been getting support of all kinds. Many people have shown their dismay with the city, some even calling out Mayor Ken Sim.

“But the mayor can shotgun beers on tv, at a city event,” one person wrote, referring to Sim’s Khatsahlano street party stunt.

Read more: Vancouver mayor shotguns drink at Khatsahlano Street Party

“Can we start a petition to save the mural?? This is such a shame, Storm’s mural is an integral part of the character of Vancouver – it deserves to be protected! Any bylaws that we can use to our disposal in that regard?” another person asked.

It also caught the attention of ABC Vancouver councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, who said she was looking into the matter, adding it “Might be time to tweak city bylaws.”

“I think what happens is that we are at the intersection of two bylaws for the City of Vancouver — the signage bylaw and the mural, or public art bylaw,” she told CityNews.

She says it’s surprising this issue has come up now, given how long the mural has been there.

Kirby-Yung says it’s time to “address an issue with the bylaws that is, honestly, stifling creativity and expression for small business in our city.”

“If a bylaw is not allowing local businesses to have a mural that creatively invites people in and describes what they’re doing on their own premises, I think it’s missing the mark,” she explained.

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With Storm Brewing’s owner being told he’s on the clock to abide by the bylaw, Kirby-Yung says the city can look at different options, including making an exception for this business.

“I know that it has the name Storm on it and so there’s some discussion that, because it has its name or logo that it’s contravening [the bylaw]. Potentially that small piece of the mural could be addressed. But also, I think we need to look at the opportunity, looking at the potential to bring a motion forward to amend this bylaw so we can allow local businesses like this, on their own premises, to creatively have a great piece of public art that invites people in.”

Hastings North BIA Executive Director Patricia Barnes is also showing her support for the business, questioning why the city’s bylaw officers decided to intervene now and not earlier.

“Yes it would be considered signage rather than a mural under city bylaws and a different permitting process,” Barnes wrote on social media. “However why is the City intervening now after 10 years. The mural is iconic and should be exempted. The HNBIA supports Storm in keeping this mural.”