The St. Albert Chamber of Commerce is one step closer to getting two digital messaging boards, thanks to city council.
Council directed administration to start discussing land use bylaw changes that would allow video signs, operated by the chamber. The discussions would include the brightness of the signs and the time delay between advertisements.
The chamber wants two digital-based signs, one at either end of the city, to advertise businesses, non-profit organizations and even city emergencies with an updated form of visuals and text. They would not have moving features, instead hosting still ads that would change after a number of seconds had passed.
Chamber chair Mike Howes told council the signs would be more modern and technologically advanced than the current electronic messaging signs. The chamber is hoping to place the new signs in the current locations of its existing ones, at the corner of St. Albert Trail and Hebert Road and St. Albert Trail and Villeneuve Road.
"Both of these locations provide a good chance for exposure," Howes told council, adding the chamber was happy to work with the city to ensure the signs are not too distracting for drivers.
Several members of council questioned both Howes and chamber CEO Lynda Moffat about whether the signs would prove a distraction to drivers, which Mayor Nolan Crouse pointed out is technology's purpose.
"Don't you want people to be distracted by the signs? You want them to look at it," Crouse said.
"What we're doing is looking to update the technology," Howes replied.
Portable signs
Former chamber chair and Gold Dust Casino general manager Rob LeLacheur also spoke in favour of the signs, informing council they were a project long in the making.
When asked if employing the video signs and scrapping portable ones would be palatable to the business community, the casino manager said it would help promote a better look for businesses in the city.
"Will you have people push back? Absolutely you will," he added.
Business owner Lynn Carolei said she would love to use a digital sign to help advertise her business, adding she had tried to get on one of the larger video boards in Edmonton. To her dismay, she was advised there was a two- to three-year waiting list.
Carolei added she was resistant to using portable signs outside her business to advertise, saying they are not visually pleasing.
"It's like having a cardboard sign in your window," she added.
Coun. Roger Lemieux said it was time for the city to update its technology and work to bring more business and users to St. Albert. He later said administration's recommendation would have seen the city stuck with its current technology.
Moffat said chamber members are excited about taking a big step forward. She assured the community the signs would not be large billboards, like those seen on 170 Street and 137 Avenue in Edmonton. Instead, the signs would be smaller to fit in their proposed locations.
Moffat added they could also act as a business attractor, demonstrating St. Albert is up to date with advertising methods. She said there would be different prices available for members, non-members and non-profit groups.
