Love has set up at the Charlottetown waterfront.
There’s a new attraction to go along with the big red 2018 sign at the wharf near the P.E.I. Convention Centre.
Downtown Charlottetown Inc. installed a 21-foot, free-standing, steel display spelling out the word “LOVE”.
The intention of the structure is for couples to initial a padlock, attach it, kiss and toss away the key, as a symbol of their love.
“We’re going to get a lock as soon as possible and we want to get it engraved and put it on and lock it in,” said Charlottetown resident Miranda Bowlan, who discovered the structure with her husband Ivan Kljajic on Monday.
Similar love lock landmarks can be found around the world, from Florence’s Ponte Vecchio to the Great Wall of China.
The Pot des Arts Footbridge in Paris, also referred to as Lovers’ Bridge, is often overloaded with little locks, each representing a romantic gesture.
Tourists Ann and Ray Hamaker of Saint Lazare, Que., have travelled to many parts of the world, where they’ve seen these bridges overflowing with locks.
“We’ve seen them in Amsterdam, Paris, Germany, Munich, they have them all over the place,” he said. “I think it’s great.”
Ann said they didn’t expect to see something like this in Charlottetown.
“Not even in Canada,” she said.
Dawn Alan, executive director for Downtown Charlottetown Inc., said this is another feature to attract people to downtown.
“We want locals and visitors to come by little wow features like this… for their enjoyment and pleasure while wandering around our downtown,” she said in a press release.
The structure can support hundreds of personalized locks.
Bowlan said she expects the love locks sign to be a hit.
“The next time we come down, there will be more every time,” said Bowlan.
The feature will be open year-round.
