Beach Sign

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as in Australia a warning sign occupied a prominent spot near the entrance to ‘Little Beach’ at Red Rock for about 17 years before it was unceremoniously pulled down in mid-2009. According to Red Rock stalwart Peter ‘Pedro’ McHenry, the sign was painted by local signwriter Kevin Convery, now deceased, to warn visitors about the very real dangers of Little Beach on the outgoing tide.

“There are two rip currents that move about 25-26 knots out of the Red Bank River, one to North Beach and one round the headland to the south,” Mr McHenry, a foundation life member of the Red Rock-Corindi Surf Life Saving Club, said.

“If you’re not a keen swimmer you’ll get into trouble ... there’s also a lot of rocks and boulders there.”

Mr McHenry, a former prominent radio broadcaster, said Coffs Harbour City Council (CHCC) told the surf club the sign didn’t meet the Australian Standards and needed to come down.

Before locals knew it – the sign had come down just after Easter last year, causing uproar from surf club members and general residents alike.

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Run Over Sign

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as in Jamaica a high-visibility pedestrian crossing sign that went up in Centre Street last month has disappeared. The sign, which warned drivers not to run over pedestrians, apparently was itself run over.

Boston Transportation Department spokesperson Jim Mansfield blamed a “car making a wide turn” for wiping out the sign. Architect Scott Payette, a board member of the Jamaica Plain Business and Professional Association, said at that group’s meeting this week that he witness an MBTA bus crush the sign.

Either way, the sign was sheared off at pavement level.

“We are doing an engineering review on whether it is a good spot to put a [sign],” Mansfield told the Gazette.

The bright yellow sign, known as a “pedestrian delineator,” was bolted to the pavement at the intersection of Centre and Seaverns Avenue to warn drivers about yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk there. The sign had been requested by the Sumner Hill Association and the Jamaica Plain Business and Professional Association.

The $250 sign lasted about six weeks before disappearing, with its mount still bolted into the street. BTD previously told the Gazette that the sign was designed to be flexible, but could be broken off by a direct hit. A vehicle would have needed to cross the double-yellow line to do so.

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Signs Of An Affair

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as in America a good-looking couple grace many billboards, hugging and smiling. Next to them is a heartwarming quote: "You are my soulmate forever." The names "Charles & YaVaughnie" are written in florid cursive text. Until today, it could be seen in New York, Atlanta and San Francisco. Just like any other billboard for diamonds or perfume, right?

Except this billboard wasn't selling any product. Instead, it exposed the messy romantic life of one of America's most powerful business execs.

The man who was pictured in the billboard is Charles E. Phillips. He is co-president of Oracle, the world's largest business software company, and a special economic adviser to President Obama. The woman shown alongside him is not his wife Karen, who filed for divorce in 2008.

The Wall Street Journal also notes that Oracle has scheduled a major press conference on Jan. 27 to discuss its recent merger with Sun Microsystems. That leads some to believe that the billboard campaign was designed to disrupt and sabotage the event and Phillips' role in it.

Whatever the actual reason, the parties' involved are remaining tight-lipped. (Not counting messages sent with giant signage, of course.)

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Tasmania Signs

More signage news from in and around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as a $16 million tourism marketing plan funded from the 2006 sale of the Spirit of Tasmania III has delivered huge benefits to Tasmania, according to Tourism Minister Michelle O'Byrne. Ms O'Byrne yesterday released a report into the success of the Tourism Promotional Plan, detailing the marketing and improvement programs in which the $16 million was invested.

The tourism industry believes the $16 million marketing campaign is still having an impact on tourist numbers into the state, due to a "lag effect".

With the money from the sale now spent, Ms O'Byrne said $4 million allocated to tourism marketing in October last year - in the wake of industry calls for more marketing funding - would also benefit tourism operators around the state.

"This report has allowed us to see that by making the decision we did with the Spirit of Tasmania III and investing in tourism product at a time when every other state was pulling away, we have been able to position Tasmania well," Ms O'Byrne said.

"We are now achieving at great levels at a time when almost every other state is either struggling or is in serious trouble." Projects to benefit from the $16 million included Launceston's Cataract Gorge, which received improved signage, the Cherry Shed at Latrobe and the Tarkine Wilderness Historic Hotel at Corinna.

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French Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as Dieppe council chambers are expected to host more visitors than usual tonight when the city holds a public hearing into a proposed bylaw that would ban English-only commercial signage outside city businesses in favour of French-only or bilingual signs.

For 20 years, the city has encouraged city businesses to use more French on their outside signs and, while progress is evident in annual surveys that examine the use of French in city businesses, that progress has been slow.

The city has spent two decades offering advice and subsidies to businesses to encourage the use of more French on exterior commercial signs, but last year formed a committee to take a hard look at the issue. That committee has recommended the use of provincial planning laws to enact a bylaw that would regulate the language on outside commercial signs, just as municipalities use the act every day to regulate the size and locations of exterior commercial signage.

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Wrong Shape Sign

More signage news from around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as a Carlisle club owner has hit out at council planners after they demanded he remove £3,000 worth of signs – because they’re the wrong shape. Steve Mountjoy, of Club 35, has put two new signs up on the listed Lowther Street building, advertising the its new restaurant, Trio’s.

But Carlisle City Council says they bear “no resemblance” to those its planners granted permission for.

And the authority has told Mr Mountjoy that he must now take them down – a demand he has vowed to fight.

“We’ve got planning permission but they’re the wrong shape,” he said.

“So we’ve got three weeks to take them down. The signs say Trio’s restaurant instead of Club 35, and they’re a different shape because the Club 35 signs are diamond shaped.”

As well as the signs, Mr Mountjoy has also been ordered to remove two Club 35 notice boards at the side of his front entrance because they should be free-standing instead of attached to the wall.

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Celebration Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as City of North Vancouver councillor Craig Keating is calling for “fair play” after his fellow councillors voted to give businesses the ability to post “celebratory signs” during the Olympics next month.

On Monday, council voted to give city staff the power to approve temporary signage celebrating the Games.

The move was a shortcut from amending the city’s Sign Bylaw and requires the signs be removed at the end of March.

While staff has the power to approve the signs, it has put the onus on the sign applicants to get approval from VANOC for any use of “names, phrases, marks, logos and designs relating to the Olympic and Paralympic movements.”

The city has also stated it will not enforce any sign disputes for the organizing committee.

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Bus Signs

More signage news from in and around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as drivers fined for using a Clapham bus lane could be reimbursed after Lambeth Council accepted it was inadequately signposted.

After months of complaints from angry motorists, the council finally admitted it would have to stop issuing fines for cars trespassing in the bus lane – which has made more than £400,000 per year in the past six years.

The bus lane, at the corner of Clapham Park Road and Abbeville Road, also had a short taper, making it confusing for drivers to know where it began. Despite not meeting bus lane regulations, Lambeth Council had been collecting as much as £120 from each wrongly fined motorist.

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Campus Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as the Willis Independent School District board in Texas is looking at ways to install marquee signs at the three elementary campuses that don’t have them.

During a trustee workshop Monday night, board president Rebecca Broussard brought up the subject since only two of the five elementary schools have marquee signs.

The signs feature scrolling messages to inform the community, such as early dismissal or yearbooks for sale. Cannan, C.C. Hardy and Parmley do not have signs.

Meador and A.R. Turner have marquee signs in front of the building. A parent donated funds to upgrade the Turner sign, while the Meador sign was part of the construction of that school, which opened in August 2008.

In April, Todd Cabra, a factory representative from Affordable Signs and LEDs and a parent of two WISD students, told the board he wanted all schools to have signs of similar quality. Cabra completed installation of an upgraded Turner sign in April for $8,000.

He even offered to ship and install a 1-foot-by-8-foot, double-sided sign for $9,500 per campus, Cabra said in April. If a school needed new signs and panels on its school name sign in addition to the LED sign, it would cost $11,500; and if a school needed to completely install a sign with electricity, it would cost $15,000, Cabra said in April.

It was estimated Monday that marquee signs would cost roughly $20,000 per campus.

“The principals of these schools do not put these marquees at the top of their list because they do not want to take it out of their school’s budget,” trustee Jim Schulze said. “I feel the marquee is … to a certain degree, it creates an image or impression when someone first sees that school.”

He also mentioned possibly installing signage at the Parmley Annex Building for the Parent Support Center.

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Charity Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as AmeriStamp Sign-A-Rama will donate or discount over $25,000 worth of signage to 21 area nonprofit organizations through its Signs of Support Grant Program.

Through Signs of Support, AmeriStamp Sign-A-Rama aims to support local nonprofit and charitable organizations through assisting in replacing or creating effective, affordable signage for their cause.

Recipients of the 2010 Signs of Support Grants are 4C of S. Indiana, Adam's Food Pantry, American Red Cross of SW. Indiana, American Water Works/Water for the People, cMoe, Evansville Community of Churches/Weekday Education, Evansville African American Museum, Evansville ARC, Evansville BBB, Evansville Rescue Mission, Habitat for Humanity USI Chapter, Keep Evansville Beautiful, Greater Evansville Susan G. Komen Foundation, Southwestern Indiana Master Gardener Association, Parenting Time Center, Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Vanderburgh County Right to Life, Posey County Right to Life, The Literacy Center, Vanderburgh Humane Society and Wesselman Nature Society.

AmeriStamp Sign-A-Rama will begin accepting applications for the Signs of Support 2011 Grant Program in the Fall of 2010.

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Smoking Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as a smoking ban has led to a good business opportunity for at least one store in Cayman, Cayman Islands. Signs of Paradise on North Sound Road has created 300 No Smoking signs that retailers are required to display on their premises in accordance with the new Tobacco Law, which came into effect on 31 December.

Greg Arnold, sales and marketing coordinator at the company said business has picked up considerably in recent days.

“We just started to get the ads out,” he said Friday, “and the signs are ready to go.”

Signs of Paradise has 30 of each of the 10 signs that have been approved by government to be displayed in places where smoking is banned. The signs cost between $5.50 and $15.50, Mr. Arnold said.

He added that customers can pick up the signs that are already available or can order more to be created. “We can do it pretty quickly,” he said.

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Leeds Signage

More signage news from in around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as Leeds is to launch a £2.4 million "legibility" initiative aimed at making it easier for people to find their way about the city. The Legible Leeds scheme, paid for with £1.2 million from the Leeds City Council and match funded by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, will see new on-street maps, signs and street nameplates installed and some current signs and street clutter removed.

A report presented to the council executive board last year described current signage in the city as "uncoordinated" and said there was a need to improve legibility and reduce clutter in the city’s streets.

It said: "Gaining a reputation for a successful legibility scheme is invaluable for raising Leeds’ profile to go up a league as a city and become internationally competitive."

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School Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as some schools in Victoria, Australia are having to erect two signs to pay tribute to the funders of their building projects: one to laud the generosity of the State Government, and another to thank the Federal Government for its largesse.

In its submission to the Senate inquiry into the primary schools element of the Federal Government's schools stimulus program, the Victorian Government suggests state and federal governments co-operate to create a single sign for each project that acknowledges the contribution of each government.

''This would be in line with the partnership approach taken by the Victorian Government towards the … program and send a positive message of different levels of government working together,'' the Victorian submission says.

The Federal Opposition has ridiculed the Rudd Government for spending $3.7 million on signs, which cost $295 each, and plaques, which cost $200 each.

The signs and plaques acknowledge Commonwealth funding for projects under its $16 billion school building program, announced a year ago to stimulate the economy during the global financial crisis.

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Start Up Signs

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as the city of Longmont, Colorado is rolling out a couple of new programs this year to assist small-business owners. The new Business Start-Up Grant offers up to $2,000 to people who want to start a storefront business.

“It’s extremely meaningful, just because of all the hidden openings costs,” said Phil Bratty, who with his wife, Georgia, is opening The Simply Bulk Market at 418 Main St. in a couple weeks. Bratty was one of the first ones to apply for the start-up grant. “I don’t want to say they were all surprises, but when you think about things like setting up phone service, things like that, I just wasn’t prepared for some of those costs.”

The city put $30,000 into the 2009 budget for the start-up grant program, but that money wasn’t touched because the program’s guidelines have just become finalized, said Doug Bene, economic development manager for the city. Another $30,000 budgeted for this year creates a pool of $60,000 available to qualified start-ups.

Each grant is capped at $2,000, and business owners must meet certain criteria, according to Bene.

“The key components of the process are an approved training course and an acceptable business plan,” he said.

The program is open to any business that opened in 2009 or will open this year. The business must be located in a non-residential storefront — meaning no home-based businesses — and the business must be within the city limits.

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The $2,000 is to be used to cover expenses a new business would face, such as business license fees, signage and buying inventory

Distracting Sign

More signage news from in and around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as you could have been forgiven for thinking a recent drive into Warwick had morphed into a night out at a disco lit up by a shiny disco-ball-inspired McDonald's road sign. But the rave was short lived due to safety concerns.

Warwick McDonald’s Restaurant owner Trevor Burton was “sad” the shimmer sign was taken down under instruction from Transport and Main Roads.

“It’s a few grand down the drain but it did what ads are meant to do: catch people’s eye,” Mr Burton said.

“And people sure were talking about it.

“I thought it was a great idea, brought a bit of bling to a country town.”

When questioned, Mr Burton said the glittery sign was “with its maker”.

A McDonald’s Restaurant head office spokeswoman said the controversial sign was removed at a request from TMR.

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Cornish Signs

More signage news from in and around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as the branch secretary of the Celtic League in Kernow has written a letter to the National Trust (NT) about their use of only using the English language on signs at properties they manage in Cornwall.

In his letter, Michael Chappell, argued that in view of the fact that Cornwall Council now has adopted a dual signage policy throughout Cornwall and that English Heritage, who administers many of the historical sites throughout Cornwall on behalf of the Duchy of Cornwall, also uses dual signage on many of its sites, the NT should also be considering adopting a similar policy.

Mr Chappell's letter follows on from a letter written to the NT about the same issue by the previous branch secretary in November 2009. Iwan LeMoine pointed out in his letter that the NT in Wales uses the Welsh language on signs on its Welsh properties, so there was no reason why they couldn't do the same in Cornwall.

Both branch secretaries highlighted the fact that by using the Cornish language on its signs would serve to enhance Cornwall's diversity and richness of culture and that Cornwall Council would even support them by providing a free translation service. Mr Chappell and Mr LeMoine are still awaiting a reply to their letters.

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Sign Changes

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as in Port St. Lucie, Florida — Businesses across the city may get more opportunities to advertise on and around their buildings — but they’ll have to pay the price.

At his department’s weekly board meeting, city Planning and Zoning Director Daniel Holbrook presented proposed changes to the city’s sign code for businesses. The changes were unanimously approved by the seven-member sign code review committee after a seven-month review.

“We are not alone in this task,” said Holbrook, who noted the cities of Stuart and Wellington also are reviewing their sign codes because of the economic downtown.

At its February meeting, the board plans to approve a recommendation to the City Council, which then decides whether to pass the changes over the course of two meetings.

Among the proposed changes, businesses would be allowed to use 40 percent of their windows for signage but have to pay a $50 processing fee for window sign applications. Convenience stores still would be able to use only 20 percent of their windows as required by the state.

Holbrook said window signs, which previously were exempt from the sign permitting process, were added to have them registered and avoid violations. Four window signs would be allowed for each application.

But the proposed changes also include lowering the department’s review fees.

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Tougher Signage

More signage news from around the world from Hants and Dorset Signs as the town of Amhest, Nova Scotia is not going to allow a local businessman to cover the front of his property with advertising signage. Warren Chapman had requested an amendment to the town’s land-use bylaw that would have allowed him to cover the face of his building at 8 Croft St. (the former bridge workshop) with advertising.

The planning advisory committee considered the request, but recommended the town not give first reading to a bylaw amendment.

In his report to the planning advisory committee, planner Andrew Fisher said: “The land-use bylaw sign provisions are a balance between allowing businesses to effectively advertise the location of their operation, and maintaining a level of aesthetic control in the community.”
When he appeared before the committee, Chapman said the bylaw is not fair and is not being enforced evenly throughout the town.
He also said it’s in contravention of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms while pointing out his signs help many small businesses advertise at an affordable price.

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Charity Sign

More signage news from in and around the UK from Hants and Dorset Signs as a charity shop has lost an appeal to keep its sign – and bosses are considering taking the matter to the High Court. St Richard's Hospice staff were told by the borough council to remove the plastic sign from outside their shop in Tewkesbury High Street.

Council officers said the sign was not suitable for a grade II-listed building in the conservation area and described it as "harsh, shiny and alien".

The charity disagreed, saying it felt its sign looked much smarter than many others in the High Street and lodged an appeal with the Bristol-based Planning Inspectorate.

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