Burchfield Park Interpretive and Way-finding Signage Project
Background: I work at a local county park in Holt, Mi. Our park is the oldest park in the system and as of 2020, is also the busiest park. As the management intern, I have taken on many tasks improving the efficiency of the park operations and now I want to do something to benefit all of our new guests.
Goal: After taking sometime to decide on the best project to make our park more appealing to a newer audience, I decided on the signage. A few years ago the trail map was updated but the way-finding signage was left in the 90s and quite frankly its costly and unsafe.
Above you can see our current signage. It's made of wood that was carved using a CNC we don't have anymore. Some of the posts are starting to rot and employees spend countless hours trying to repair and repaint these vital signs.
Our park is 540 acres, in some areas these signs are the only way guests find their way around.
This project isn't just about updating the park and making to look like a newer facility. It's also about safety. A huge park in a rural area needs directions. It helps people avoid getting lost and helps emergency services get where they may need to go, and fast.
My proposal will take money and time, but this upgrade to Burchfield park should be ranked will those of accessibility and revenue. This is more than a facelift.
New Way-finding Signs
While I want to update the park, I didn't want to take away the natural and calming charm our parks gives our guests. Above is a sample selection of the variations of possible signs. You'll notice they aren't all way-finding signs, but for consistency and to create a safer experience, there are numerous other signs in need of updating.
I chose to go with Avenir for the typeface for ease of reading and the range of font styles. I chose a green and blue tones to keep the signage feeling minimal amongst trees and water.
Materials: The signs themselves will be made of a Custom High Pressure Laminate at least 1/2" think to allow for threaded mounting. These will stand against the weather, and sun damage creating a long lasting graphic that will never need to be repainted.
The mounting posts will be made of faux lumber, an eco-friendly HDPE plastic made from post consumer materials. This means we won't have to worry about rotting wood or needing to replace or re-stain the posts every few years to stay looking clean and fresh.
