Sask Highways says no changes for welcome site maintenance
July 13, 2021, 9:24 am
Spencer Kemp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In the July 5 edition of The World-Spectator, an article ran about the lack of maintenance of the Welcome to Saskatchewan site on the Manitoba Saskatchewan border, after a reader, Trevor Green of the Fleming area, brought concerns to the World-Spectator.
Among his concerns were tall weeds, and garbage all over the site as there are no garbage bins, no recycling bins, and no picnic tables on the concrete pads built for them.
Following the publication of the article, Saskatchewan Highways told the World-Spectator that no changes will be made to maintenance at the site.
“Contractors and Ministry staff monitor the site continuously throughout the year and take additional maintenance action if needed. The new “Welcome to Saskatchewan” signs were installed around the province recently as the old signs were nearing end-of-life. These were developed in consultation with Tourism Saskatchewan to represent Saskatchewan’s visual identity and there are no plans to replace them.”
An Ontario family passing through the area Thursday said the site doesn’t compare to welcome signs at other provincial entrances.
The McDowell family was travelling from Ontario to Alberta to visit family and have been stopping at roadside monuments and welcome sites to educate their three children, two sons, and a daughter, on the geography of Canada.
Todd McDowell, says the family nearly missed the sign when entering Saskatchewan.
“We’ve not only been stopping at provincial border signs but also other roadside monuments. It’s a fun thing to do and it’s teaching our kids the geography of our country and it’s something we look forward to. One thing I notice with this sign is there’s no real warning that you’re coming up to a border monument. We had to park on the side of the TransCanada instead of in the parking lot because we didn’t realize we were here. It doesn’t catch the eye or give you any warning that you’re approaching it. It would benefit from having a bit of a warning or notice that it’s here and it would give us an opportunity to stop,” McDowell said.
His wife Lizz McDowell echoed her husband’s statement.
“We’ve been following other people’s trips across the country, so we’re not the only people stopping at border monuments. Some of the other border signs are more eye-catching with really does benefit them because of the social media attraction that people are getting from the posting,” she said.
After showing the family pictures of the old Welcome to Saskatchewan sign, Todd McDowell says that the new sign is bland in comparison and the old sign, which featured a wheatsheaf, said something about the province.
“Having something that marks this area, like the wheat-sheaf, would be really neat. We’re trying to teach our kids what’s unique about this part of the country and as you approach different provinces they have something that shows what is in the province. I think it would be pretty cool to have a big wheatsheaf,” he explained.
Lizz McDowell says she is unimpressed with Saskatchewan’s welcoming.
“It’s a bit of an eyesore here,” she said.
Todd McDowell agreed, noting the lack of garbage bins or other commodities to welcome visitors to the province.
“It’s not inviting. There’s no marking or anything. They don’t even have a garbage can here. Some of the border stops we’ve been to or roadside monuments that we’ve been to have garbage bins and a bathroom facility,” he said. Tweet
