Waupaca to begin branding, wayfinding initiative
By Angie Landsverk
The city of Waupaca and the Waupaca Area Convention and Visitors Bureau are splitting the cost of a Wayfinding System and Branding Initiative.
During its June 5 meeting, the common council voted 10-0 to award the contract for this initiative to CivicBrand, of Richardson, Texas.
The project’s cost is not to exceed $75,000, and the city and bureau are splitting the cost evenly.
The city plans to cover its $37,500 portion of it from the residual balance in its Hotel/Motel Tax Fund.
With Waupaca’s downtown redevelopment project planned, both the city and bureau saw the need for a wayfinding system and branding update.
A wayfinding system is designed to help people see where they are, and how to get where they want to go.
CivicBrand has separate tasks for the city and bureau.
The citywide wayfinding system is to highlight key areas of interest for residents and visitors.
This includes parking lots, downtown, business districts and parks.
The convention and visitors bureau wants to incorporate the surrounding communities and areas of interest into its wayfinding system.
The branding initiative is going to focus on community involvement.
“When they do these projects, they get involved in the communities,” Brennan Kane said of CivicBrand.
Kane, Waupaca’s director of community and economic development, said the city received 16 proposals for the initiative.
The council voted in March to seek proposals.
The selection panel included representatives from the city and the bureau.
“We narrowed it down to six,” Kane said of the finalists.
Those six firms were interviewed, and the panel reached a consensus to recommend CivicBrand for the contract.
The firm will be assisted by RDG Planning & Design, the city’s consultant on its downtown redevelopment project.
Kane said CivicBrand will be in Waupaca at least two times and noted the firm was hired for a similar project in Park Rapids, Minnesota.
In other business on June 5, the council approved:
• A request from the Rotary Club of Waupaca for a street closure for its annual Oktoberfest, which this year is taking place on Friday, Aug. 31.
The second block of North Main Street will be closed from 8 a.m Thursday, Aug. 30 until 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1.
In addition, the first block of Session Street (west of Main Street) will be closed from 8 a.m. Friday, Aug. 31 until noon Saturday, Sept. 1.
• A request from Living the Waupaca Way for a Temporary Class B License for its third annual Farm to Table Dinner on Thursday, Aug. 30.
The Rotary Club is partnering with Living the Waupaca Way, which means the same tent, tables and chairs will be used for both events.
The Farm to Table Dinner, a ticketed event, will be a four-course meal prepared at area restaurants with ingredients from local farmers.
Tickets go on sale in August.
• A request from Central Wisconsin Marine Corps League Detachment 350 to set up a space in front of the library or city hall from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, July 4.
The veterans group is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is raising funds to buy clothing and items for the veterans at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King.
On July 4, the group will give people Marine Corps League Roses and have donation containers to support its effort of assisting local veterans.