Burnaby’s 164 parks will be getting new and improved signage for consistency and modernization.
A staff report said current signage (which includes 3,500 signs) is inconsistent between locations and within the parks themselves. This poses a challenge for navigation.
City council approved the new plan for comprehensive signage on May 9.
Coun. Pietro Calendino asked staff to place “you are here” markers on relevant map signage and suggested including notes reminding dog owners to pick up dog waste with graphic directions to garbage cans.
Coun. Dan Johnston brought up including square QR codes that would direct people to an online map. Staff are currently studying the use of QR codes, intending to give residents a better sense of connection between parks and the city’s website (which includes information on parks and recreation).
Coun. James Wang also approved of using QR codes, saying it’s a more interactive and advanced technology.
Johnston hoped to prioritize signage in Central Park, noting that some signage in the park dates back to when the City of Vancouver ran the park.
Coun. Alison Gu asked that Burnaby’s climate plan and climate action goals be interwoven throughout educational signage. She pointed to signs on Vancouver’s Seawall which show where sea level rise will bring the waters.
“It’s very helpful, I think, for people to see the impacts of their day-to-day life, and perhaps [include] some recommendations or suggestions of how people can help and mitigate that problem,” Gu said.
Gu also asked to include education regarding Indigenous reconciliation on the signs, in order to connect the history of the lands and waters with how to move forward in a better way.
