KELOWNA, BC - May 27, 2014 - With more than 1.5 million visitors welcomed to Kelowna annually, way-finding and other forms of city signage play an exceptionally important role in showcasing the City positively. Graphic designer Phred Martin, principal of Kelowna based Splash:Design recently received an Honourable Mention at the 2014 Graphex National Design Awards for his work on the City of Kelowna's Neighbourhood and Community Parks signage.

Martin was faced with the challenge of developing a signage program that would work effectively throughout Kelowna's more than 140 linear parks, community parks and beach accesses that attract visitors and local residents. "Signage is often taken for granted until we find ourselves lost or in unfamiliar surroundings, trying to make our way to an important meeting, sports event or gathering. It is often the first introduction to a new community," explains Martin. "People who get lost in a city or neighbourhood start to build a negative visitor experience of the area, so effective signage is critical whether for streets, parks, a hospital or on a campus."

City of Kelowna's Park & Public Space Projects Manager, Andrew Gibbs, says, "We placed strong emphasis on cost efficiencies for manufacture and maintenance, minimizing susceptibility to graffiti, vandalism and tagging, and flexibility to accommodate the specific needs of different parks. The new park signage done by Splash:Design met all of these criteria and more."

Martin adds, "Signage design is a specialty. You have to understand the fine nuances between designing for signage versus printed or electronic media. Things that need to be considered in the final design include vehicle and pedestrian traffic flow, direction and speed, sunlight direction and background, wind direction, and whether it's a rural or urban setting."

In addition to an honourable mention for park signage, Splash:Design was also one of five finalists for Martin's work on the power boxes in Stuart Park. Stuart Park is named after former Kelowna mayor and retired orchardist Jim Stuart. " The City originally wanted the power boxes in Stuart Park to be hidden. After reviewing the site I decided that due to their positions throughout the park and seeing how many tour buses stop in the area it was better to feature them. The final design includes a barn wood background and reference to Kelowna's and Jim Stuart's agricultural history. Each power box focuses on a separate theme – Jim Stuart himself, the old ferry, the area's land use, and the area's architecture. Tourists and local residents now use these as information booths and meeting points," says Martin.

The objective of the Graphex Awards competition is to promote the value of design to the Canadian business community — Good Design Is Good Business —and to create an archive of Canadian design for future generations to study and reflect upon. In addition to a busy studio, Martin is also an active volunteer in the community, having done design work for various non-profit organizations including Ballet Kelowna and Across the Lake Swim. He is a past recipient of a Graphex Award of Distinction for the Smile Africa Illiteracy campaign word mark.