Signage grant benefits city; opportunities for your input

As Cape Girardeau's comprehensive wayfinding review and design process moves forward, some clarification is needed, since informed public input is vital to a successful process.

Wayfinding is not just about signs, but about using all visual information -- signage, maps, landmarks and icons -- to steer pedestrians and vehicles through unfamiliar environments. Good wayfinding guides visitors from one attraction to others, thus extending the time and money spent by the visitor. This is good for Cape.

Cape Girardeau is the fortunate recipient of a National Park Service Preserve America grant, presenting an opportunity to address an identified problem. Grants bring additional resources to our community to help address areas of need or to develop opportunities. A portion of this grant funds this comprehensive, citywide wayfinding review and design for which no additional city money is required to provide this service.

Wayfinding was included in the grant request because a lack of good wayfinding was identified by residents and visitors through public input and by professional planners in both the city's comprehensive and DREAM strategic planning processes.

Wayfinding is not an effort to brand the city, but rather will integrate the city's brand in its design. Additional downtown branding is included as a part of the grant as good branding of this area allows the wayfinding to happen more efficiently.

A public presentation and open house will be held today, and a follow-up results presentation and open house will be Thursday, both at 6 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church's fellowship hall, 235 Broadway.

JAY KNUDTSON, Mayor

MARLA MILLS, Old Town Cape

CHUCK MARTIN, Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau

JOHN MEHNER, Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce