City establishes banner policy

Yorkton Council has unanimously supported a new banner policy at its regular meeting Monday.

The policy came about as a result of a request to install banners on thirty street light poles on Broadway between Myrtle Avenue and 8th Avenue as part of the Yorkton Film Festival's 65th Anniversary celebrations.

"The installation of banners creates a welcoming atmosphere and provides a sense of community to tourists and motorists. Banners also enhance the pedestrian environment when installed along retail corridors by providing a festive atmosphere and decorating the street with colour. In addition to initiating its own banner program, the City may receive requests from outside agencies to install banners along city streets," detailed Darcy McLeod, Director of Community Development, Parks and Recreation with the City.

McLeod said the policy was fashioned after what other cities are already doing.

"Administration conducted a review of other municipalities to find out if similar policies were in place. Saskatoon and Swift Current provided their banner policies and we used these policies to help formulate the Banner Policy for Council consideration," he said.

"This policy provides a framework, which allows a banner program to proceed in a coordinated, safe and aesthetically acceptable manner. It will set criteria for the installation of street light banners in public right-of-ways."

The policy establishes a Banner Review Committee consisting of the Director of Public Works, the Director of Planning and Engineering, the City Clerk, the Communications Manager and the Director of Community Development, Parks and Recreation. The Banner Review Committee is responsible for the administration of the Banner Policy, processing applications, initiating City sponsored banner programs and reports as necessary to the Management Committee, detailed a report circulated to Council.

Installation of banners may be sponsored by the City of Yorkton, the Yorkton Business Improvement District, the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce, a Registered Charity and/or a Non-Profit Corporation which sponsors an international, national, provincial or city-wide sporting, cultural and/or community based public event.

"The banner message content must be compatible with, complimentary to, and reflect the City's values and mandate. Banner requests that promote political affiliation or advocating a political issue will not be permitted," explained McLeod.

In terms of cost, groups wanting to place banners will cover most of them.

"The costs of supplying the banners will be the responsibility of the sponsoring organization who will retain ownership of the banners. If an organization requests the installation of banners in approved right-of-ways that do not have mounting hardware installed, that organization would be required to pay for the costs of the mounting hardware and installation. The mounting hardware then becomes property of the City. The cost of installation and removal of banners is the responsibility of the sponsoring organizations as well. If an organization requests the installation of banners in an area that already contains seasonal decorative banners that organization is responsible for the costs of their removal and reinstallation," said McLeod.