Raise the Hammer
By Trey Shaughnessy
Published July 08, 2005
Look how ridiculuous this is.
The deep setback and tall sign for this Tim Horton's breaks a Little Italy streetwall in Niagara Falls, NY.
Tim Horton's breaks the streetwall, and plops down its standard-issue box, regardless of where it is located - a Little Italy, Chinatown, Historic Village, market area - disregarding the street and its location. You can't see the building because it is set back from the street, so they are forced to install a sign where a marquis/facade would be if the building met the street.
This is a perfect example of ignoring the streetlife and its surroundings. Even though we can't see the building, I doubt very much that is it clad with pilasters and stonework.
This is the source of the current sign 'problem' on Upper James, prompting City Council to hold public meetings regarding mobile signs littering the streetscape.
Signs litter the field of vision along Upper James, vying for motorists' attention. Note the absence of actual buildings.
The signs are needed because the buildings are set back so far back from the street behind enormous parking lots, that cars on the road would otherwise drive right by, not knowing what they passed.
If buildings were forced to have zero setbacks - even on Upper James - we wouldn't have a sign-litter problem in Hamilton. There would not only be no place for it, but also no need.
I heard opposition that eliminating sign-litter would eliminate many jobs. I assume City Council thinks the mobile sign industry is a possible field of gainful employment for the future generations of Hamilton. Maybe Mohawk College can offer a course in Mobile Signontology.
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