City of Grand Forks
WAYFINDING SIGNAGE PROGRAM
Initiative
An historic flood. A community re-inventing its future via development of a new OCP. Wayfinding and community signage seen as a thread in the fabric of progress….a visible foundation to connect drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to core amenities and trails.
The City of Grand Forks, BC determined a wayfinding and community signage program to be a strategic first project priority established within a refreshed OCP. Rynic worked with the community in 2021 to shape a community signage path forward. The slate was blank; priority and creative design would be a reflection of community context and desire. Three workshops were held with key stakeholder groups (planning staff, general community/business stakeholders, trail stakeholders) to accomplish two key elements of success: 1) set the stage for buy-in and implementation with consultant presentation of a “why” for sign and wayfinding systems, entitled “Whimsy, Surprise and the Art of Placemaking“; and 2) establish community signage priority and brainstorm potential creative direction (shapes, colours, materials, style) using global examples.
Community priorities were determined to be Highway 3 directional wayfinding, downtown signage, and trail signage, with a necessity to distinctly design for the unique needs of each of vehicles, pedestrians, and trail riders. All existing community and directional signage was documented in a Location Study in order to design a functional and efficient Location Plan for new signage. This included net reduction of signage while being more effective.
Our creative team evaluated current brand and signage-relevant strategic direction identified in the OCP process: 1. integrated pathway system; 2. vibrant mixed-use downtown; 3. deepened housing attainability/affordability with neighbourhood-based densification means to an end) to generate a design inspiration:
“We feel the sun on our shoulders, meet at the confluence of the rivers, and revel in our valley beautiful.” Design inspiration gives rise to use of lyrical water/valley flow pattern, joyous play of light and representation of community connectivity in mosaic pattern, and earth tone colours infused with sun-filled brightness.
Key document outputs were:
- Strategic Direction (identifying strategic issues and directions, and including Location Study and Location Plan).
- Creative Direction.
- Implementation Plan.
- Signage Brand Standard to add to the City’s current Brand Standard.
Sign design was created for:
- Highway 3 – Market District (downtown) Monument, Overhead Banners (downtown – seasonal), Vehicle Wayfinding (Highway 3 and Market District).
- Market District (downtown) Pedestrian Wayfinding, Specialty Freestanding, Crosswalks.
- Trails: Gateway Monument, Direction, Confirmation (priorities), Kiosk Branded Inserts.
- General – municipal buildings, parks, neighbourhood node icons and banners.
The signage solution set balanced the dynamic tension inherent in all municipal signage: to balance the science (size, sight lines, quantity, integration, location at decision points, limiting choices to focus sign/user efficiency, consistent aesthetic, role of technology) with artistic form that – in elevating “community beautiful” – contributes to tourism, residents, and investment attraction.
We didn’t stop there and went above and beyond as we tend to do when we get wrapped up in community engagement, thoughts about the future of economic and community development, and the best interests of community. We:
- Identified a new downtown brand (The Market District).
- Made a number of downtown placemaking recommendations that interact with/aid signage objectives (e.g. murals, crosswalk patterns, use of pole banners as directional signage for pedestrians).
- Created a set of unique neighbourhood icons to celebrate communities within community while aligning with neighbourhood-based densification nodes identified in the OCP.
- Designed a major downtown (Market District) gateway sign.
- Stepped into potential for development of new bike-based tourism product with infrastructure and trail network considerations.
- Identified a potential signature implementation project (a branded downtown digital kiosk for tourism information).
- Created a “Kids Play Free” directional choice marketing lure to promote visitor turns off Highway 3 into downtown/City Park.
Results
The City of Grand Forks has approved the design and program, and will be constructing Phase 1 in 2022.
