Wellington County could spend more than $200,000 over the next three years to implement a new county-wide signage strategy.
County council approved the “This way to Wellington Signage Plan” following a Feb. 25 presentation on the strategy by Sean Kelly of Stempski Kelly Associates Inc.
Kelly’s report notes the 2012 Wellington Economic Development Strategy identified the need for a coordinated signage system in the county as well as the need for entrance, directional and highway signage.
The 2014 county-wide Business Retention and Expansion project resulted in 50 per cent of businesses identifying signage as the focus activity for the county to address within five years.
The strategy calls for a three-phase implementation process that could see up to 49 signs, including both gateway and directional markers, located around the county.
Phase One will involve setting up 10 primary gateway signs, eight secondary gateway signs and four directional signs at strategic locations at an estimated cost of $98,000. Phase two includes one primary gateway sign, 10 secondary gateway signs and 14 directional signs at a total cost of about $76,000. The third phase involves putting up two more primary gateway signs for about $12,000.
“Currently there are 62 portals into the county,” said Kelly, adding only 14 of those have some form of county marker.
“Obviously prioritizing which, and the type of marker(s), if any, these portals should be assigned requires careful considerations,” the firm’s report states. “In addition, public destination directional signage has been recommended along the county’s more significant travel routes.”
Treasurer Ken DeHart said the consultant’s cost estimates should be considered preliminary, as county officials haven’t had an opportunity to review them in detail.
“The county has an existing approved budget of $200,000 for the signage strategy and implementation. Any adjustments to the budget will need to be taken into account in future years,” DeHart told the Advertiser, adding about $50,000 was spent on devising the strategy.
A “Pay as You Play” component, which would see operators of tourism businesses and attractions in the county pay for inclusion in the signage program is still in development and costs are not known.
“A signage strategy is about more than just new signs,” said Kelly. “This is an economic development-driven project.”
Kelly said the signage program would complement, not replace, existing signage programs set up by individual municipalities.
“We know many municipalities were already working on signage programs for their own identity, we don’t want to duplicate that.”
Kelly pointed out the preferred design created by the consultant contains some of the same elements currently being used on signage by some municipalities in the county.
“This is a really good fit here. We’re complementing what’s going on elsewhere,” he said.
The report states the signage program’s objectives are to:
– inform visitors they are in Wellington County;
– orient visitors to where they are in the county;
– provide clear direction to attractions and communities; and
– inform, promote and improve the visibility of landmarks, communities and attractions in the county.
Councillor Pierre Brianceau noted the consultants’ preferred design, which was adopted along with the strategy, doesn’t include “Established 1834” as does current county signage.
“Signs are a basic four second read and there’s only so much information you can put on it,” Kelly replied.
Councillor Neil Driscoll suggested the county would be “missing a great opportunity” by not putting a primary gateway sign on Line 86 in Mapleton.
“That’s one of your higher traffic volumes and I see we’re only getting a secondary sign,” said Driscoll.
Councillor Chris White, chair of the county’s economic development committee, said there would be some “nudge room” in the implementation of the program to cover such situations.
“There’s going to be some stuff as we roll it out that we realize, ‘Oh, we should have done that,’” White said, adding, “If you spot something that we missed let us know.”
Warden George Bridge pointed out that even though a lot of work has been done to bring the project to this point, “it doesn’t mean it’s perfect.”
Bridge urged councillors to take the strategy back to their home municipalities for input from local councils.
“From the perspective of an economic driver, we need to have these signs and I’m really excited about these Pay as You Play signs because we got downloaded a lot of highways; those are busy, busy roads for businesses” to promote themselves along, the warden stated.
Council passed a motion to adopt the “This Way to Wellington Signage Plan” as presented.
