Community sign idea

Letters

I see the city council has finally made a decision regarding the community sign boards erected at the approaches to the town. As I see it the councillors took the easy way out by declaring the signs were a blot on the landscape and therefore had to go. I wonder whether there was any consideration given to alternatives.

Signs, be they overt in the way of words extolling a particular item, or be they a more subtle advertisement such as the red of The Warehouse, always seem to raise concern. In my opinion we will never be rid of advertising. It is a part of our world, particularly as the cost of promoting one’s products is an expense and therefore tax deductible.

I note the council’s 10-Year Plan includes the following: ‘‘Palmerston North has sometimes had a reputation as lacking in imagination and creativity. The council wants the arts to attract people to the city and help make it a creative and interesting place to be. More now needs to be done to support artists and arts community to coordinate activities, promote their work, encourage co-operation and share information. [The] council is committed to helping make the arts a more central focus of Palmerston North.’’

Do councillors consider that stopping these groups from using a high-visibility promotional facility is support of the arts community or promotion of their work? I accept that ad-hoc sign boards can be an eyesore, but if the council set up well-made ‘‘frames’’ on which groups could display their poster, and then established a fee system that recognised the difference between charitable, arts, and commercial groups, I am sure everyone would benefit and that the council would clearly be seen to be keeping faith with its plan. Richard Palmer, Foxton