The long-debated Wayfinding Sign Project is beginning to bear fruit in Rocky Mountain House, as Phase 1 of the project is nearly complete and more signs are beginning to pop up around town.

Funding from the town’s 2025 capital budget called for the erection of signs to support council’s efforts to improve access and increase tourism traffic to the downtown core.

Along with signs on major roadways, Phase 1 of the project also includes a number of improvements to signs on the town’s trail system, as five new directory maps were installed.

The signs installed in 2025 include:

• Six vehicular signs installed along Hwy 11A
• Four large directory signs installed along trails in town
• Seven small directory signs installed along multi-purpose trails

 

 

Six vehicular signs along Highway 11 remain to be completed in Phase 1 and are expected to be finished in spring 2026

The sign project was the subject of budget adjustments during 2026 deliberations — but that doesn’t mean the project is being scrapped.

Future sign placements will focus on high priority areas, says Laura Button, communications coordinator with the town of Rocky Mountain House. That includes directing traffic around areas like the new Co-operative Bike Park, recreation centre, spray park, dog park and sports fields.

Town communications coordinator Laura Button speaking to where residents might see future wayfinding signage appear

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To help bring a 2026 property tax increase down to 2.87 per cent, council opted to cut the wayfinding sign budget from $50,000 to $25,000.

Still, Button says any new signage in future years will continue to match the quality and look of existing signs.

To that end, the final design of the signs was upgraded to withstand harsh outdoor elements such as strong winds typical in the Rocky area.

“They’re absolutely designed to flex in the wind — we saw that working this week,” adds Button with a laugh.

 

Back in the spring, council awarded a nearly $138,000 contract to complete Phase 1.

However, a month later, the contractor discovered the presence of sensitive fibre optic cables during ground disturbance causing council to commit another $20,000 to the project.