Wayfinding: Have any in your neighborhood?

Spokane, like most cities, is loaded with history.  A quick glance around Downtown, Hillyard, Garland, or East Sprague and it become evident very quickly that there are some stories to be told.  During a recent trip west, we found ourselves on the Ave in Seattle visiting the farmer's market there.  While waiting for friends to finish up their shopping we spied this wayfinding/historical marker on a street corner.  On each side (photo above) was a different piece of info:

• A map of the neighborhood with key landmarks identified
• A map of the greater Seattle area with "Your are here" indicated
• Historical information with a few old photos of the neighborhood
• Description of the neighborhood (we think)

In a matter of minutes we understood all of the above information, learned a thing or two about the neighborhood, and now had a connection with this place where we'd spent the last hour.  Take downtown and Hillyard; looking around you'd have no concept of your location in the overall city, and certainly you'd have no sense for the dramatic influence the railroad has had on both neighborhoods.  To visitors the clock tower looks just like a tall structure oddly located. 

Things like these (a.k.a. City Comforts) enhance the public space not only for those who live here, but also those who are visiting.  They build and strengthen our connection to our neighborhoods and it doesn't take much.  A pretty good return on the investment we think.

Comments

[MK]

I've often thought Spokane could do a little to gain a lot in this regard. Seattle is a great example of this and as we move forward it's a good idea to be grounded in the things that have come before. It definitely helps with that sense of place that everybody is always talking about.

[Rachel]

that would be a great thing! great indeed.

[FinishTag]

There are some signs like this by the falls (on the pedestrian walkway) that I like. The same signs that reference the "first white baby born in Spokane."

[Mariah McKay]

Preaching to the choir on this one - BIG TIME!

Who within the governmental structure is responsible for way finding signage? I'd like to sit down with them and understand their plan and their situation. Budgetary constraints? Regulatory barriers? Why can't we get it together on this one? The MIG Consulting group gave us low grades in this category during the Fast Forward Spokane community dialogue. Seems like these key considerations would become a priority at some point . . .

[El Corte]

Unfortunately there isn't any money budgeted within the governmental structure to pay for any signage, which leaves neighborhood/community groups responsible for raising the funds-no easy task since few organizations see signage as a viable means to introducing history. The only time you get signage in Spokane is if it's part of some type of mitigating circumstances- hence the signs on the Monroe Street Bridge which were part of a federal requirement in response to the bridge rehab. However, I think you're going to see more signage in Spokane because that's what people want- signs. I don't think you'll get what Seattle has, but something on a much smaller scale.