Town beautification projects nearly complete.
Workers apply the finishing touches to the landscape surrounding the new Parry Sound sign on the corners of Bowes and Louisa Street Wednesday morning. This is one of five beautification projects being done around town using G8 funding.
Cody Storm Cooper/Beacon Star
PARRY SOUND - Town beautification projects are almost complete, just in time for the G8 Summit next month.
The federal government will reimburse $169,942 to the town for five beautification projects which include a new fountain inside Market Square Park; a welcome to downtown sign on the corner of Great North Road and Bowes Street; a new sign for Juke’s Lane; and a Parry Sound sign on Highway 400 and another at the corner of Bowes and Louisa Streets.
This week the contractor completed landscaping and the Parry Sound sign at the Louisa Street exit. The sign was designed to reflect all that the town has to offer.
“There was an ad hoc committee put in place to work on five projects; we had representation from the Downtown Business Association on the ad hoc committee and certainly town staff as well,” said Lynn Middaugh, town director of economic development and leisure services. “Time and time again staff at the travel centre has heard (that) people don’t realize that we’re a water-based community, because we’re set so far away from the water. Hard to believe, but we do hear that. So we wanted to definitely get the message out that we are a water-based community. That is our biggest product, is Georgian Bay and everything that goes with it. We wanted something that spoke to that, hence all the blueness (in the sign). The wave piece, that’s the different stages of the sunset, combined with the sand. It’s very nice. We’ve never had anything like this. Apparently ages ago there was an arch that was at the beginning of the Seguin River Bridge as you’re coming downtown.”
The top piece of the sign represents the trestle bridge.
“That ties in the whole heritage aspect – the significance of the rail industry in our community and that bridge, which is fairly significant,” Middaugh said.
The new fountain inside Market Square Park, that is expected to be completed by next week, includes a new concrete basin, fountain rock, a maple tree, plants and river rocks inside the new circle garden.
The new sign to replace the existing one on the northbound Highway 400 just before the Hunter Drive exit was installed Thursday.
The old sign was moved to the southbound side of the highway.