The City of Cambridge is preparing to replace 11 gateway signs at key entrances to the southwestern Ontario community, with residents being invited to help select the photographs that will appear on the redesigned installations.
The replacement project will update aging signs that have been affected by years of exposure to weather while giving the city a refreshed visual identity at major entry points. The new signs are expected to be produced and installed later this fall after the public voting process is completed.
New Signs Aim to Refresh Entrances to Cambridge
Gateway signs serve as prominent markers for motorists and visitors entering Cambridge, making them an important part of how the municipality presents itself. The city said the updated designs are intended to create attractive and welcoming entrances while highlighting different aspects of the community.
“Gateway signs are often the first impression visitors have of our community, and we want to showcase all that the city has to offer,” said Acting City Manager Lesley Head. “These new signs will help create a more welcoming and attractive entrance for everyone who lives, works and visits here.”
A total of 11 signs at various entrances to Cambridge are scheduled for replacement. According to the city, the existing installations have reached the point where replacement is required because of their age and weather-related wear.
The project provides Cambridge with an opportunity not only to renew the physical signs but also to update the imagery used to represent the community.
Residents Invited to Rank Photos
Rather than selecting the images internally, Cambridge is turning to residents for input on which photographs should appear on the new gateway signs.
The proposed images represent different seasons, events and locations across Cambridge, offering a broader visual representation of the city throughout the year.
Residents can participate through the city’s EngageWR consultation platform. Each photograph can be rated on a scale ranging from zero to 10, with the highest-rated images ultimately being incorporated into the new signs.
Voting will remain open until Sunday, Oct. 4, giving residents approximately two weeks from the announcement to provide feedback.
The public consultation adds a community element to a municipal infrastructure project that will be highly visible to residents, commuters and visitors. Because the signs are positioned at city entrances, the selected photographs could become familiar images for people travelling into Cambridge for years to come.
Installation Planned for Later This Fall
Once voting closes and the photographs have been selected, the city will move ahead with production of the replacement signs. Installation is expected to take place later this fall.
The updated design will also retain a small connection to the signs being replaced. Some of the existing gateway signs feature a blue heron, and the city plans to incorporate the bird into the new design in a less obvious way.
An outline of a heron will be hidden somewhere on the finished signs, providing a playful reference to the previous installations while allowing the overall gateway design to move in a new direction.
Original Gateway Signs Could Have a Second Life
Although the current signs are being removed from their locations, Cambridge indicated they may not simply disappear once the replacements are installed.
The city said another announcement is planned regarding what will happen to the original gateway signs, describing them as local landmarks and suggesting they could have a future role after their retirement from city entrances.
For now, the focus remains on selecting the photographs that will define the next generation of Cambridge gateway signs. Residents have until Oct. 4 to rank their preferred images before the city finalizes the designs and begins installation later this fall.