The topic of replacing the 'Welcome to Edmonton' signs seen at seven of the city's corporate limits has once again been thrust into the spotlight.
Mayor Don Iveson says a good discussion has been had about the city's brand, "I think we need to go through a process to make sure [the signs] reflect the brand that's emerging for the city." Work the mayor says is still very much a work in progress.
Simple is better as far as councillor Scott McKeen is concerned, "an entrance sign that says 'Welcome to Edmonton,' or 'Welcome to Edmonton, Alberta's capitol city', enough. Keep it simple."
It's not just the continued use of 'City of Champions' as a civic slogan that's up for debate, it's the shared consensus by many that the aging signs also need to be replaced.
The results of an internal report suggest that one way to play for the costs of replacing the signs is to find a private sponsor or to allow advertising on the signs. The advertising angle is not a solution the mayor is ready to accept.
"I don't think the entrance sign to as prosperous and dynamic a city such as this needs to be reduced by having advertising on it or any particular sponsorship attached to it," says the mayor, "I think it's gotta be the community sign, not a subset of the community."
The topic of civic brand and sign replacement will be discussed in council, however the mayor says it's not a top priority.
