Dear Editor:
Signs indicating you are entering Summerland are absolutely necessary for local businesses.
They inform the travelers they are passing through Summerland. They also show that there is a local business community, downtown or otherwise.
Further, a guess is that the majority of local businesses rely on tourism and other visitors to stay in business. Some businesses are focused directly on the tourism market while others see it as an extra customer source. Both would likely argue outside customers are essential for keeping the doors open.
Literally hundreds of visitors come to my business each year.
A fair number of these customers stated they never knew there was so much to Summerland. Signage helped.
Many businesses over the past few years have strongly encouraged Summerland council and the Summerland Chamber of Economic Development and Tourism executive to increase the signage for local businesses. Those signs did not cost millions of dollars nor are they glitzy or offensive in any way.
Tell me what town does not have a welcome.
What people do on their land or building to attract customers is their concern, allowing for municipal bylaws and landlord permission as guidelines for sign design.
It is unclear whether having more “corporate graffiti” will attract more customers, or limiting signs will promote the exodus of businesses from Summerland.
Advertising is a cost of business.
Bruce Charneski
Summerland