Travellers entering Salmon Arm by highway this spring will be greeted by new signs reflecting the municipality’s Small City, Big Ideas branding.
At its Dec. 11 meeting, city council received an update on the Salmon Arm entrance signage project from coordinator Caitlin Thompson with the Salmon Arm Economic Development Society (SAEDS).
Thompson began her presentation with some background on the project, which is being done with support from the city while drawing on input from community partners.
Funded largely by a B.C. Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program (CERIP) grant, Thompson explained the entrance sign project represents the last step in a series that has included the installation of way-finding signage, parks and beach signage, digital interactive kiosks and the downtown pillars.
In August 2023, SAEDS issued a request for proposals, seeking a proponent with experience in tourism/community/large-scale signage projects, entrance sign design, installation, metal fabrication and working within the parameters of marketing and brand guidelines – referring to the city’s branding approved by council in 2018.
SAEDS has been working with the successful proponent, conducting weekly design and project meetings, and keeping city staff up to date throughout the process.
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“Most recently, our project team did meet with everyone…to have an in-depth design meeting, as we’re now far enough along in the process to get into the nitty-gritty details of the design,” said Thompson, noting the signs are intended to be highly recognizable and easy to interpret.
Other requirements include alignment with the city’s branding – including the colours, as well as durability and driver safety. The signs would also incorporate land acknowledgments.
The signs will be placed in three locations. One will be where the former Salmon Arm/Expo sign was located, facing the westbound lane along Highway 1 near the Canoe mill. Another will be along 97B near the industrial park. The third will be located at the west end of town, near the new paved multi-use pathway to the right of the eastbound lane.
Thompson said city staff is working with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to submit the permits to place the signs, and any application information required for the project.
Finally, it came time for the reveal, with Thompson showing the latest designs for the project.
“One of the design features that I find particularly unique and interesting is the use of the brand colours and the 3-D layered effect, starting with blue, then going to the orange on top, then going to the white lettering,” said Thompson of signs planned for 97B and Canoe. She said these signs will be tall enough to ensure the land acknowledgment is “positioned high enough from the earth so that you can see it.”
Next was the one-of-a-kind sign at the west-end location, differentiated by the addition of a “wooden-slat look” that makes up the sign’s bottom portion.
“So from the highway, you actually can see the first four slats and then upward, and then as you get closer the perspective changes slightly and it’s actually a much taller sign…,” said Thompson, adding this is the only sign that incorporates a Small City, Big Ideas water mark wrapping on the back, which can be seen by people using the pathway.
It is anticipated the signs will be installed in April 2024.
Council spoke favourably of the designs and the process used to arrive at them.
Coun. Louise Wallace Richmond commented on the importance of working with community members, including the local Indigenous community, to understand what was needed.
“I think you’ve taken a very rigorous design-based approach and, in my experience, this always leads to a better outcome…,” said Wallace Richmond. “While it took time and will cost money, most of which came from CERIP, I think this is a valuable addition and I look forward to seeing them installed.”
