PowerPoint Presentation

Signage & Wayfinding in Grey CountyOpportunities, Challenges& How We Can Move Forward Together

Why Signage? Why Now?What we hope to introduce todaySignage: theres more to it that we might think!What we could do with signage in Grey County (and the opportunities and challenges of change)What signage in Grey County looks like right nowHow do we develop a signage strategy?How do we reflect Grey Countys character as a family of unique communities?Signage 101Types of signs:Regulatory (including Warning and Informational)Municipal Identification/Community DevelopmentWayfinding/Tourism DestinationsHeritagePrivate (advertising)

Important to consider balance between the number of signs needed to provide information and the need to keep roads clean, clear and without clutter (to keep roadways safe & directions straightforward)Important to consider consistent look and feelCommunity/Municipal IdentificationHierarchy of settlement areas (*Official Plan)Municipal:Identify the official municipal name at the boundaryCommunityIdentify settlement communities within a municipalityTourism & Heritage(not required, but have tourism/heritage benefits - Relate community to local context)Key ConsiderationsConsistencyLook and feelPlacementInformation on signRoad safetyNumber of signsSizeLocationClarityClear identification & purposeAvoid/reduce duplicationWayfinding SignageWhat is wayfinding?The consistent use of signs, maps and other graphic methods to convey location and direction to visitors throughout a region. ChallengeBruce Grey Simcoe has identified the lack of consistent, coherent wayfinding signage throughout the regionOpportunityEach municipality within Grey County offers a unique visitor experience and amenities/attractions, but tourists and visitors are seldom aware of community, county or regional bordersTypes of Wayfinding signsTourist-Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) along provincial roadways. Signage managed by the CountySignage managed by municipalitiesPrivate signage created by local businesses to provide directional information to visitors.

RTO-7 Tourism Wayfinding & SignageSignage system developed specifically to address tourism-based wayfinding needs throughout Grey, Bruce and Simcoe CountiesDesigned to provide communities with cohesive, cost-effective promotional platformDesigned to provide flexibility/opportunity to incorporate community-specific brandingCaveat: Provides little direction on municipal identification signage hierarchy (eg. county/municipal/community)

Some Examples

9Time for a RefreshMany road signs need replacingWear & TearFaded or damagedOpportunity to think strategically & regionally about a practical aspect of our County brand and local municipal brandsIncorporating new County brand & local municipal brandsPair County and Municipal branding for a collaborative approach & imageIntegrate regional place-making/destination development principles

Whats out there right now.

Signage NeedsSafe & FunctionalSignage needs to be functional, first and foremostNeed to have strong, reliable criteria for determining where signs are placed, what information they display, what they look like and how they are managed (i.e. consistent approach)Distinctive & RecognizableOpportunity to pair municipal branding initiatives with new signage to demonstrate a rich tapestry of communities within Grey County familyIdentity & ReputationSignage is often a first impression for visitors & residentsOpportunity to help identify Grey County & its communities as distinct, unique and welcoming

Opportunities, Challenges & ConsiderationsOverall intent of a signage program is to balance the number of signs throughout Grey County & its municipalities to provide a clear, methodical sequence of directional elements to municipal and privately-owned destinations. A signage system of this nature can provide an efficient, cost effective solution.Establishing a signage hierarchy and a preliminary wayfinding approach. An example of a signage strategy: Town of InnisfilSuggests Visual Identity Standards, a Signage System Hierarchy, looks at existing wayfinding locations/gapsBased on RTO7 wayfinding signage strategy and adds municipal identification signageWorked with form:media (same company as developed RTO7 wayfinding strategy)Uses a hierarchy of signage, including:Tourist Oriented Directional Signs (TODS)Signage managed by Simcoe CountySignage managed by the Town of InnisfilPrivate signage

An example of a signage strategy: Town of InnisfilOverall intent is to limit the number of signs throughout the Town while providing a clear, methodical sequence of directional elements to municipal and privately-owned destinations.Effective, efficient and economical solution to signage - consistency & coherencyIncluded public consultationPhased-in implementation, using signage hierarchy and assessment of current assets Next stepsInitiate consideration of a strategic approach to signage in Grey CountyLooking at options for creating consistent, collaborative community signage guidelinesOpportunities to partner Grey County brand and member municipality brandsPotential for seeking consultant guidanceOpportunity to create a working group to consider Tourism, Transportation, Branding, etc across signage needsMoving ForwardOpportunity to develop a Grey County signage strategyOptions for how we move forward:Collaborative County approach (utilizing consultant) full partnership in strategy development & implementation planCounty-led (utilizing consultant), with municipal inputCounty-led (no consultant), with municipal inputCounty-only