DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard
KAWARTHA LAKES: The City of Kawartha Lakes’ Economic Development division is taking down the service club sign, which currently sits near the entrance to the Town of Lindsay.
The signboard is located on Lindsay Street South, across from the Riverside Cemetery. City staff members have determined the signs are not in great shape.
Ward 5 Councillor Pat Dunn said, at a meeting on Tuesday, March 8th, he’s heard the service clubs have been told: “to pick up their signs or they are going to be disposed of.”
“Needless to say, that has caused a stir. And I recognize the signs are in bad shape, but most of those groups probably meet in the downtown or very close to the downtown when they get together for their luncheons and their [meetings],” Councillor Dunn stated.
Rebecca Mustard, the city’s manager of Economic Development, explained to councillors why the decision was made to take this sign and the logos down.
“The signs [which] are coming down in Lindsay are in a state of disrepair. That’s why they’re coming down. Last year [the] Economic Development [department] did an inventory with Engineering to look at all the signs we’re responsible for across the city, and these signs were on the list of the ones [which] need to come down. So, in due respect to those organizations that paid to have their organization’s logo on those original signs, we’re reaching out to all of those organizations or groups to see if they’d like their logo back,” she explained.
Ms. Mustard recommended the city work on a “comprehensive, coordinated” signage review and strategy. A staff report recommended the review come back to Council in the third quarter of this year with their findings. However, Councillor Dunn felt it should be a shorter timeline. He motioned to have a report brought to Council in the second quarter of this year pertaining to service club signage strategies across the municipality. Council later approved the motion.