In February the Executive arranged to have a replacement sign created outside the green arch gate. Where and by whom you might ask? Warden Peter Fitzpatrick of the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre (VIRCC) was contacted and agreed to have the Centre’s inmates build the new sign. The Centre’s staff installed the new signs as well. This approach saved the club considerable money and saw the job completed before our main open house of 2018.
Over the past couple of years the club sign outside the green arch gate has fallen into a sorry state due to age and the elements. The wood rotted beyond repair, paint wore thin, and the sign clearly failed to create a favourable impression upon a visitor or passer-by. That has now been rectified.
The new design incorporates improvements over the old sign, such as placing text on both sides so no one passing in either direction will miss it. Also included are two planters, and a box to place brochures intended for passers-by to encourage them to try our sport. As a bit of history the current brochure box was the brainchild of Gary Suter, a former club president. Shortly after Gary’s plastic “mail box” was installed on the back of the sign, a brochure was picked up by a fellow named Chris Slade who walked into the grounds on a night which happened to be a Friday Visitors Night draw. The rest is history. Chris has been invaluable to the development of the club website and he continues to make many contributions to the club in other areas; all this began with the idea of a current member to attract a new member through the placement of a brochure box on the club sign.
A much smaller sign with the club’s name has also been built by the inmates at VIRCC. It is mounted at the opposite end of Carnarvon Park on the boards of the lacrosse box to direct people to our club.
The photos below show the new sign being built in March, 2018 at VIRCC. Perhaps those involved in the construction will one day drop by our club to see their handiwork on display, ideally on a Friday evening so they can also roll a few bowls with us.
Soon the public will be visiting our club. Fortunately we no longer have to be concerned about the old adage that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Our new entrance sign makes a very favourable impression, and it just gets better once one enters our facility.
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