The Midland Heritage Committee will be finalizing Historic Dollartown signage at its next meeting for a possible July 1 installation.
The committee took a look at a couple options at its last meeting.
Rob Elliott, former executive director community and development services, presented the two options.
"The committee had identified the Dollartown district as being worthy of some recognition, particularly in the form of signage at the four corners of the Dollartown neighbourhood of Midland," he said by way of giving new committee members some background on the project.
"They've been working for some time to figure out what's an appropriate way to sign it. I think we're getting close to something that committee members will appreciate."
Elliott said he had spoken with staff at the public works department to confirm they would will install the signs free of cost, as long as they're on existing sign posts or street signs.
He also said there are adequate funds available to pay for the nine signs, each of which could cost up to $100.
The next steps are to have the committee approve the signs and ensure the signs are Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act compliant. The final step would be to get council approval for the signs to be put up in summer.
Elliott said initial discussions with some members had lead him to believe that the committee was looking to post a new sign above the existing street sign in Dollartown.
"After some deliberation with some of the committee members, I think the consideration is if there is some opportunity to include the street name and then put the Dollartown logo up where the Midland logo is," he said.
Terry Fegarty, a committee member, said the committee does not wish to replace the existing street signs, but would rather use the one pole for the Historic Dollartown sign.
"We're also thinking of a placard at the centre of the old Dollartown to provide some explanation to passersby as to the history of Dollartown," he said. "It would be supplemental to the eight signs at the four corners."
Committee chair Lorelei Blane-Smith said she thought that the committee had exchanged emails to express the opinion that option A (see photo) was the best.
Elliott said the final design would have to be approved through a committee vote.
The decision was put off until the committee's March meeting because René Hackstetter, a lead on the Dollartown signage project, was absent.
The committee also decided to delay this year's Heritage Awards, because they did not have appropriate nominations for the two categories.
"We're pretty dry," said Fegarty, "either because they're not residents of Midland or they're very well-known and established in the community, but they don't meet the criteria of preserving real property or providing heritage education to the community as a whole."
