Some new signs in Grand Pre, N.S. are getting a lot of attention, but it may not be the kind of attention the people who put them up were hoping for.
The signs read “Entering dykelands, all roads private” and show an image of a person and dog getting hit by a tractor.
The signs were approved by the Landscape of Grand Pre Society and are part of an awareness campaign. The committee says the message behind the signs is twofold.
“To advise you of the fragility of the dykewalls as well as the fragility of the dykelands and the dykeland roads,” says committee member Beverly Palmeter.
“It is to tell you that there is large machinery, equipment being used out on both the dykewalls, as well as the dykeland roads, which are privately-owned.”
Most people agree the message is clear, but some say it could have been delivered in a different way.
“I guess it’s very effective because it is so frightening,” says Roberta Hantgan, who is visiting the area from the United States. “I would like a little, a nicer way to say it to show it.”
“That is effective because what you’re showing there is you’ve got animals that can be hurt by farm equipment … so what you’re saying is be careful,” says Will Antonishyn, a tourist from Saskatchewan.
Palmeter says the signs aren’t meant to be a scare tactic and that they looked at several different images before making their decision. Consultation began last fall with working groups, reports and community meetings.
“They have to be there to make you think about it and that is what it was,” says Palmeter. “We wanted everyone to think and to be aware of everything.”
She says, so far, there hasn’t been an issue of people misusing the dykelands, and she hopes the signs will keep it that way.
“That’s part of the process. We want to stop it before it actually happens. No one wants to see anyone get hurt.”
Nearly 50 signs, including interpretive panels, are going up as part of the dykelands awareness campaign.
Palmeter says, while they weren’t mean to cause controversy, at least people are talking about the signs and dykeland awareness.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jacqueline Foster