City Hall area confirmed as permanent home for St. John’s landmark sign

The City of St. John’s has confirmed that the area near City Hall and Mary Brown’s Centre will be the permanent home of its landmark sign.

City Council approved the location at its November 10 Committee of the Whole meeting, following public consultations held in August and September.

The sign was temporarily installed at the site in August to allow residents and visitors to experience the location and provide feedback before a permanent decision was made.

Mayor Danny Breen says public feedback showed strong support for the site, pointing to its central location, accessibility and visibility.

The City received input through its Engage St. John’s project page, 12 pop-up events, social media, email and phone submissions.

The online project page recorded 2,060 unique visitors, with 573 people making a total of 728 contributions. Another 55 submissions were received by email or phone.

Accessibility, visibility and tourism value were among the most important considerations raised by participants. The current location was the most frequently identified preferred site.

Other suggested locations included Signal Hill, Southside Hills, Quidi Vidi Village, Harbourside Park and Cape Spear. However, the City said those sites did not meet the project's requirements because of land ownership, operational, accessibility or environmental constraints.

With the location now confirmed, the City says it will consider potential improvements to the surrounding area.

Suggestions received during public engagement included additional landscaping, public art and improvements to the sign's backdrop.