Covering Parliament Hill during construction: Worth the cost?
CBC News | Posted: January 14, 2016 3:52 PM | Last Updated: January 14, 2016
'Trompe-l'oeil' often used in Europe to cover construction at well-known landmarks
Ottawa's tourism agency is calling for Centre Block's iconic facade to be replicated on fabric during a forthcoming decade-long rehabilitation project.
But the cost is a concern for the federal government, even though Parliament Hill is a key tourism attraction.
The debate over whether taxpayer dollars should be allotted to such a "trompe-l'oeil" aired Thursday on CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning.
So what did audience members think of the idea?
Most saw the aesthetic advantage of a 3D tarp, no matter how much it costs.
Others thought plain old scaffolding was't so bad.
The early estimates for the tarp have it costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, while government officials say they're willing to pay up to just one per cent of the total cost of the false facade.