City works to modify signs

EL DORADO — The city is still working to modify wayfinding signs that were purchased a few years ago to direct visitors around town.

The signs, which were selected by a now disbanded committee, were purchased with the city’s former El Dorado Forward economic development tax.

The signs were part of a package that included new El Dorado welcome monuments placed at certain city gateways and digital marquees that were installed for the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium and the El Dorado Conference Center.

The funding request was approved in 2012, with the intent of developing a way finding system ahead of the opening of what is now called the Murphy Arts District on Sept. 28 — Oct. 1.

The wayfinding signs were ordered in 2013 at a cost of approximately $120,000, and they arrived in 2014, with plans to direct visitors to local attractions and other points of interest, city parks, retail shops, restaurants, lodging establishments, and municipal and public buildings.

Not long after the signs were purchased, some were briefly set up on the corner of Main and Jefferson, but they were soon taken down and placed back into storage by the Department of Public Works after city officials heard complaints about the “garish” colors of the signs.

Robert Edmonds, director of public works, has said the signs are going to get a makeover to tone down the loud colors.

Now, milder hues have been selected, and local business ArtAttack Graphic Design has been chosen to the do the job of retooling the signs, Edmonds said.

Initially, Edmonds said the signs would be repainted, but plans have been changed to use a removable vinyl covering that will make it easier to modify the signs in the future.

“It probably wouldn’t take long, probably a matter of a couple of weeks, to put that vinyl coating on,” Edmonds said.

“There’s still a question about what’s going to go on the signs before they can get to lettering them,” he said, adding, “Those signs are heavy, and I’m sure they would want to do the lettering and the vinyl cover at the same time.”

Edmonds said the committee that selected the signs — members of a gateway improvement task force with input from El Dorado Festivals and Events, Inc., which is spearheading the estimated $80 – $100 million Murphy Arts District project — will likely be reconstituted to discuss the matter.

He noted that with projects and other events that have occurred in town since the signs were purchased — including revisions to the conceptual design of the new arts and entertainment district —, the group may now have a better idea of what the signs will say.

“So it’s a good thing we didn’t do what we were originally going to do with those signs,” Edmonds said.