While the District of Tumbler Ridge has been a part of the Great Northern Circle Route for a few decades now, the circle route will be getting a face lift over the next few years.
As part of that, new signage is being installed along the route.
This work is being undertaken by the Northern BC Tourism Association (NBCTA), although they have approached the District of Tumbler Ridge to be a partner in the program by maintaining the signs that will be built in Tumbler Ridge.
The Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark is one of 11 iconic destinations along the route. Other iconic destinations include: The Bear and Salmon Glaciers; ’Ksan Historical Village and Museum; Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park / Anhluut’ukwsim Lax’ mihl Angwinga’asanskwhl Nisga’a; the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area; the Alaska Highway; Hudson Bay Mountain; Fort St. James National Historic Site; the Lakes District; Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Park and the Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park.
The Great Northern Circle Route is a 3188.5 km route That travels north from Prince George to Fort Nelson via the Alaska Highway, then west to Watson Lake, then back south to Prince George via the Stewart Cassiar Highway and Highway 16. It is an epic drive that should take ten days to complete, depending on how many activities you participate in. (You could, for instance, paddle the Nation Lakes Chain, which would add another ten days to the trip.)
The route has been promoted by Tourism BC for a few decades now, but over the last few years, NBCTA has been working “to support the enhancement and sustainability of the Northern Tourism Region as a travel destination through destination development programming, media relations, travel trade, and marketing activities.”
As part of that, they are working with communities, First Nations, businesses, and operators to move tourism forward in the north, which makes up over half the province, geographically.
As part of that move to enhance tourism, they have been working on a signage master plan and iconic destination signage program. According to NBCTA, “Great Northern Circle Route (GNCR) signage will be deployed at rest areas, iconic destinations, visitor centres, and airports. These locations act as feeders, welcoming travellers to regions, sub-regions and destinations and providing necessary information to help travellers explore more of the local area where the signage is found.”
The signs will be placed together in clusters to create interest and appeal. The hope is, says NBCTA, is that “travellers will recognize these attractive sign groupings as places to stop and get more information.”
The cost of installing the two signs is expected to run at $62,000.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
