Bracebridge approves new wayfinding sign standards

The new standards will establish a consistant approach to all town public spaces

Bracebridge General Committee approved new parkland signage standards during its May 5, 2026, meeting.

According to the staff report, the new standards will establish a consistent approach to signage across the Town's parks, trails and waterfront spaces.

The new manual will guide the design, placement and maintenance of signage across municipal lands, with the goal of improving wayfinding, safety and overall user experience.

Staff say a standardized system will ensure consistency across the Town's 38 parks, approximately 72 kilometres of trails, and numerous waterfront access points, including beaches, docks and boat launches.

The project builds on earlier efforts, including wayfinding signage introduced in 2013 and 2014 and recommendations from the 2018 Recreation, Parks and Trails Master Plan. Work on the manual was carried forward through multiple budget cycles, with funding identified in 2024 and 2025, including approximately $30,000 allocated in 2025.

Consulting firm Steer Davies Gleave North America Inc. was engaged to complete the work following a 2024 request for proposals. The firm first completed a project scope phase and was later awarded the continuation of the project in 2025 for just over $28,000 plus HST. Staff worked with the consultant throughout 2025 and into 2026 to finalize the manual, including collaboration on design standards, fabrication details and installation approaches.

Input was also gathered from the Town's Accessibility Advisory Committee, which provided feedback on readability, font sizes and colour contrast to ensure compliance with accessibility standards. Additional feedback from internal departments was incorporated into the final document.

The manual outlines signage requirements for a wide range of park types and amenities, recognizing the diversity of Bracebridge's public spaces, from urban parks to natural areas. It also highlights the role of signage in the Town's risk management framework, ensuring visitors have clear, reliable information to make informed decisions while using municipal facilities.

As part of the approval, the Town will enter into a licence agreement with Parks Canada for the use of certain images and branding and authorize the Director of Public Works to make minor technical updates to the manual as needed.

Staff say the finalized manual will serve as a long-term tool to support consistent, accessible and effective signage across Bracebridge's parkland and greenspaces.

Upon a Committee inquiry, they added that they will also work with various organizations as needed on what’s required.

Councillor, Debbie Vernon, suggested that brail be included on signage where possible moving forward.

Staff indicated that they have communicated about this and will consider it on an individual basis once they start planning for some facilities.

Mayor, Rick Maloney, said, “The end product is very user friendly. It is very clear… At the end of the day, it will have that constant approach across the municipality. It just makes the end user able to enjoy coming to Bracebridge and all the amenities.”