Wayfinder System helps visitors navigate city

Colors are changing in Bloomington, and it has nothing to do with the time of year.\nBrightly hued signs have popped up in various parts of the city, with arrows pointing visitors toward major city venues. \nPart of the cultural tourism project, the new Wayfinder System is designed to help give directions to major attractions and destinations in the area, said Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez.\n"Wayfinder will make Bloomington a friendlier and more attractive community," Fernandez said. "This is a cultural tourism project which means this is an economic development initiative."\nThe system is made up of five color-coded districts; westside (orange), eastside (purple), downtown (green), Indiana University (crimson) and the Visitor's Center (blue). Symbols also appear on the signs to help direct people to important places, buildings and parking areas in the city. Trees represent the hills on the eastside, industrial buildings for the westside, and the Bloomington starburst logo for downtown. An eye represents information for the Visitor's Center to help direct international visitors in the area. \nBloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Valerie Pena said she is happy with the results. \n"I am amazed at the comments I have received from both visitors and residents on how the signs are a striking change for the community," Pena said. "The signs are pleasing to the eye and there is a lot of information."\nAccording to a press release, the initiative to create a consistent destination signage program began in 1998. The City of Bloomington, Monroe County Government, IU, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, the Downtown Bloomington Commission and the Convention and Visitors Bureau all contributed to the project. \nFernandez says the initiative doesn't stop with the new sign system. \n"One of the goals is to consolidate and co-locate destination signage," Fernandez said. "Reducing the visual clutter is an important objective for us."\nThe Wayfinder System cost approximately $250,000 which was funded largely by the City of Bloomington. The CVB provided both staff and in-kind assistance for the project, Pena said. There has also been additional money set aside for maintenance and sign additions.\nAccording to the press release, a detailed breakdown of the project contributions were as follows. IU Athletics, IU President's Office, Monroe County and the City of Bloomington donated $10,000 each. The CVB and the Visitor's Bureau donated $5,000, and the BEDC each donated $2,500.\nThe Downtown Bloomington Commission donated $2,500 and was also involved in determining which traffic locales would offer signs.\nExecutive Director with the DBC Talisha Coppock said the signs are a valuable asset to the city.\n"I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the local community members," Coppock said. "The signs raise the level of professionalism and the overall visitor experience to the community."\nCoppock also said the parking signs are very effective and will be helpful in all parts of the city.\nThe last phase of the Wayfinder project will be the implementation of ten kiosks on Kirkwood Avenue that will provide information on downtown maps and event information. The kiosks are expected to be installed before mid-November.\nOverall, Pena said the Wayfinder System is a continuing program that will change the system to fit the needs of the community. \n"Wayfinder is a work in progress now and will be an ongoing program into the future," Pena said. "Based on an initial evaluation, we'll be modifying some sign faces and locations. We want to stay flexible as the community changes."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.