‘Get to Know Newton’ signs to be repaired and replaced with altered design

The “Get to Know Newton” signs are here to stay for now, but they are going to look a little different. While the city council does not seem too keen on the costs of a full rebrand, officials this past week did decide to move forward with allowing staff to replace and repair signs used throughout the city using a new layout.

Signage was created following the adoption of the Get to Know Newton brand about 10 years ago. Many of the signs used for city facilities are starting to show visible signs of aging or have been damaged over time. Of note, the Agnes Patterson Park sign has become tattered and difficult to read.

Newton City Council voted unanimously in favor of replacing, repairing and adding new signs to a number of locations throughout the city, at a cost not to exceed $25,000. Sign Pro, of Newton, created the signs for the original branding initiative and has since provided a quote for the work addressing the signs.

Staff argued the sign repairs and replacements are needed in order to maintain a positive and professional image for residents and visitors alike. The new signs do differ from their original designs but are not significantly different. They maintain the same color scheme but the size of Get to Know Newton logo has been reduced.

As a result, the new signs attract more focus to the facility itself rather than the logo. Text sizes have been increased, too.

Mayor Evelyn George said these changes help people better understand where they are in Newton since the signs now emphasize the place rather than the city.

“They need to know: ‘Where am I in Newton?’” George said.

Council member Randy Ervin likes the new look a lot, and the updated signs will be major improvements in places like Agnes Patterson and Sunset Park. Ervin also noted that council should not give up on the idea of rebranding itself going forward. He acknowledged the initial assessment was a bit pricey.

“I don’t know if we need to step that far in, but I do think it’s time for us to elevate our game a little bit past the Get to Know Newton and start working on some other aspects and forms of attention getting,” he said, noting Get to Know Newton can be maintained while looking at other ways to promote the city.

Here are the locations where signs will be newly installed, repaired or replaced:

• Adult Softball Complex

• Agnes Patterson Memorial Park

• Aurora Park

• Callison Park

• Cardinal Pond

• City Hall

• Denniston Knolls Park

• Hillcrest Park

• Fred Maytag Park

• Newton Public Library

• Newton Sanitary Landfill

• Public Works & Park Shop

• Sersland Park

• Sunset Park

• Woodland Park

• Westwood Dog Park

• Westwood Golf Course

• Wastewater Treatment Plant (1915 E 5th ST S)

• Waterworks Treatment Plant (5382 S 48th AVE W)

• Waterworks Central Pump Station (Water Hill)

• Waterworks Distribution (700 W 7th Street N)