Simple, easy-to-read, prominent signs can help visitors navigate their way around the city. By all accounts, that was accomplished by the 25 blue signs that were installed at strategic locations around Orillia this summer.
“I have heard really amazing comments about the signage,” said Coun. Pat Hehn of the large blue road-side signs. “They are easy to read and easy to find. People are really pleased with it.”
Those signs represented the first phase of a three-step “tourism/visitor wayfinding program” that was identified as a key strategy of the city’s tourism strategic plan. On Monday night, council committee approved moving forward with the second phase and authorized staff to begin work on the final phase. The decision must be ratified by council Monday night.
“Staff are now prepared to move forward with Phase 2 implementation of this program and begin consideration of Phase 3 signage,” Haleigh Fox, the city’s manager of tourism and marketing, told councillors. She said the second phase, with a pre-approved budget of $100,000, “includes approximately 10 pedestrian signs to be installed in the downtown and waterfront area” while Phase 3 “includes consideration for design of two highway entryway signage displays.”
Fox said as part of Phase 2, staff will engage a designer to create customized pedestrian units and conduct a mapping exercise. “This process will result in a comprehensive signage guide for the downtown core and waterfront areas,” said a report to council committee. “The mapping exercise will result in updated geographical renderings of the downtown core and identify signage routes/locations.”
The designer will work in consultation with staff to identify appropriate locations and signage routes. Staff will issue a request for proposal for wayfinding design no later than March of this year; they expect this component of Phase 2 to be complete by June. Following this process, staff will then engage a contractor to fabricate and install the pedestrian signs. A contractor will then be hired to produce and install the 10 signs and three community maps.
Hehn said she hoped local artists could be consulted to weigh in during the second phase of signage. Fox said the consultant will be asked “to incorporate community feedback including artistic and cultural elements.”
Council, during the budget process, also approved an additional $50,000 to begin the final phase – the design, construction and installation of two large gateway signs. “Staff are prepared to initiate this process and will engage a consultant to design and incorporate community feedback into the design of highway entry sign displays,” said Fox, noting this will not be complete, likely, until 2020.
Coun. Ralph Cipolla, who also praised the Phase 1 work, said he would like to see the gateway signs erected “sooner rather than later. Our entrance signs are not the best in the world,” he said, noting “wayfinding signs are becoming more and more important to draw people into our community.”
Fox said it’s unlikely the process can be sped up. “Our strategic plan says we would be into the implementation process in 2019 and 2020. Is it feasible to expedite?” She said that would be dependent on the consultant’s findings, provincial approval and on the capital forecast.
Phase 2 signage will be “in the ground no later than November 2018.”
