Dear editor:
Here’s how to ruin a village in “50 signs.”
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake as well as the Region of Niagara must share equal responsibility for the overkill placement of “no parking” signs along Four Mile Creek Road in St. Davids.
From the toe of the Niagara Escarpment from Niagara Falls to the nearby village of St. Davids, 50 signs have been regimentally placed along both sides of the roadway. I counted them – three times.
In my travels, I have never seen such a visual degradation of the landscape.
It reminds me of the “Burma Shave, Burma Shave, Burma Shave” signs that were frequently found in the past along highways throughout the United States.
Thankfully, the Highway Beautification Act brought an end to the indiscriminate placement of signs along U.S. traffic corridors.
Aesthetically, the signage looked awful then as it now does in the Village of St. Davids. The local example is over the top at best.
While I agree that some signage was necessary to potentially alleviate a safety issue, the placement of 50 signs has gone overboard.
If it wasn’t St. Davids, this cavalier attitude toward the village of St. Davids would not be accepted anywhere else in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The town bears responsibility for orchestrating this visual eyesore. Imagine the uproar that would happen if 50 “no parking” signs were placed on both sides of the roadway along Hwy. 55/Niagara Stone Road to the much-talked-about entry statement into downtown.
Presumably, the signage was installed due to the overwhelming success of the Grist restaurant. It must have been done for safety reasons, but please, the placement of 50 signs is overkill.
Full marks should be given to the Begin family who have done an outstanding job in creating a much-needed restaurant at this location. The conversion of an old fruit-packing shed into a successful business is what Niagara-on the-Lake should be striving to achieve.
Whoever is responsible for this mess should be ashamed of what has been done along both sides of Creek Road. Come forward and remove some of the signage.
Too much money is being frivolously wasted by the Region of Niagara as well as the Town of NOTL on planning adventures such as the placement of 50 signs that are now found at the base of a world biosphere.
Don’t penalize the success of one business – but after all, it’s located in the Village of St. Davids so who cares?
Look at what has occurred and I don’t think for one minute that you would disagree with my findings. Observe for yourself and perhaps you may come to the same conclusion.
And, I have not even mentioned the “speed check” signage that has been placed on the surface of Creek Road as one travels toward St. Davids from Niagara Falls.
Enough said.
John Morley
St. Davids
