Entrances to several identified commercial business parks in town are being graced with new gateway signage designed to identify the various business that are located in each park. Eventually all business areas will have the same unified gateway signage at their entrances.
As part of a community assessment completed in 2011, Bracebridge identified a number of opportunities that could be implemented to make the community more visitor-friendly. In 2013 and 2014, the Town of Bracebridge made a strategic decision to clean up the overabundance of signage in the community. Two programs have been developed, including a comprehensive tourism wayfinding signage system and a business park sign program. Combine, these two programs have made it possible to give a cohesive and clean look to signage in Bracebridge and has allowed the Town and the District of Muskoka to remove hundreds of old signs that were unnecessary or were in poor condition.
“Signage clutter is something that creeps in over time.” stated Mayor Graydon Smith. “We started looking around town and realized that there were signs everywhere and nothing was working well. The tourism signs did a lot to clean up the navigability of the town. And now the business park signage program is helping to reduce the sign clutter at the entrances to our commercial areas.” added Smith.
Randy Mattice, Manager of Economic Development, says “The Town decided to spearhead a signage project that would not only provide a landmark for the Business Parks, but would also identify businesses that were located in each area.” Mattice went on to add, “Businesses are under no obligation to list their business on the sign but many have “jumped on board” as it is a great opportunity to promote their location within the business park.”
New Business Park Signs will be installed in:
Bracebridge Business Park (Robert Dollar Drive, E.P. Lee Drive)
Cedar Lane Business Park (Monica Lane, Gray Road)
The program will be extended to the following Business Parks in the coming months:
Keith Road
Armstrong Street
Barron Drive (Barron Drive, Taylor Court)
Muskoka Beach Road
The cost of the signs is covered by the participating businesses, while a portion of the participation fee will cover the cost to create and maintain landscaping at the base of the signs.