Council mulls giant $6M ‘Brandon’ sign
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City council will consider whether Brandon should get a giant tourism sign as part of this weekend’s budget deliberations.
The giant signs with large letters that spell the city’s name have been erected by other municipalities to attract visitors and serve as props for photographs.
Gerald Cathcart, Brandon’s economic development director, said comparable Canadian cities that have put up the signs saw positive results in terms of tourism, development and people staying in their cities long term.
Rendering of a giant Brandon sign that city officials hope would boost tourism. (Supplied)
The approximate cost for the Brandon sign would be around $6 million, city spokesperson Merrilea Metcalf told the Sun.
At Monday’s budget meeting, Cathcart recommended that council develop a “comprehensive tourism and event attraction strategy,” but not immediately approve a new sign.
He said the sign alone isn’t enough to increase tourism and that other strategies are needed.
Coun. Greg Hildebrand (Ward 5) said the lack of civic pride and the idea for a sign were things he was hearing about on the campaign trail ahead of the 2022 election, and that he pushed it ahead because of that.
“More to develop that we’re more than just a hub — we’re an hour from Riding Mountain, we’re an hour from Spruce Woods, we’re an hour from the U.S. border — we are Brandon, and to adopt who we are as a community and develop our own identity rather than just the place where people hang out and then leave,” Hildebrand said at the meeting.
“We want people to stay.”
Council is also expected to hear about a tourism rebrand during budget deliberations, Cathcart said.
Hildebrand said he would support a rebrand, as opposed to the city’s current slogan of “Brandon Brings You Back.”
Hildebrand cited the cities of Toronto and Ottawa, saying they both saw boosts in tourism after signs were installed.
“I look forward to seeing this come forward as part of the 2027 budget,” he said. “I’d love to see a sign. I want my picture there.”
Mayor Jeff Fawcett said the sign could be placed in one of several different places, like the Keystone Centre, Riverbank Discovery Centre or on the North Hill, “as a Hollywood-type sign.”
“We look forward to an aggressive tourism and marketing approach,” he said.
» alambert@brandonsun.com