The City of Castlegar is installing new wayfinding signs to help residents and visitors navigate in the city.
The project includes the installation of a dozen signs along Columbia Avenue, that will be electrified at night, to direct travellers to amenities including Millennium and Kinsmen Parks, Zuckerberg Island, the library, city hall, recreation complex, community health centre, and more.
“We are excited to get these new signs up to help people easily find what they are looking for in Castlegar,” says city-engineering technician Anne Simonen. “This is the final phase of our city-wide signage program, which started with the installation of new signage and sculpture pads at the city’s entrances.”
There will also be four marker posts in the residential area downtown to help people find Millennium Park and Ponds.
“It’s a bit of a maze,” Simonen says. “Not all of the streets connect all the way through, so we’re hoping this is going to help people turn off Columbia onto the right street and navigate their way down.”
Martech Electrical Systems Ltd. Construction began work last week by checking to make sure nothing is in the way of the proposed locations. It’s expected to take about a month to complete.
Simonen says the contractor will work north to south, but will jump around a bit. Each sign will take one to three days depending on how long it takes to electrify.
The signs were procured in 2019, but Simonen says a lot planning was required behind the scenes to make sure they had the budget to install them and that they went in the right locations.
Additionally, a new audible crosswalk is going in at 4th Street near city hall, something the city’s accessibility awareness committee flagged as a high priority location.
Additional lights will also be put on each of the entrance signs, to the adjacent sculptures will be illuminated at night. “I think it’s going to lead to a great visual entrance into Castlegar at all times,” Simonen said.