New Glebe Gateway celebrates our neighbourhood
By Trevor Greenway
You’re here. You have arrived. You’re in the funky, fun, vibrant little enclave we call the Glebe.
If you hadn’t noticed this by now, perhaps the giant new “Glebe” sign at the corner of Bank Street and Chamberlain Avenue will tip you off.
The Glebe now has its very own gateway sign – a colourful, vibrant and welcoming way to mark the entrance to our charming community. Those coming from downtown will certainly know the exact moment they hit the Glebe. And it provides a great new backdrop for selfies!
“You have to take this sign in conjunction with the flowers and the bannering and all of the efforts that are pulled together, it’s all one thing,” says Aerographics designer Dave O’Malley, who was part of a team of residents, stakeholders and creative professionals who volunteered countless hours and expertise to make this project a reality. “It marks the beginning and all the way down Bank Street, you know you are in the Glebe.”
What makes this new Glebe sign so special is the pride that those working on the project brought to the table every day. Public consultations also produced invaluable feedback that was incorporated into the final design.
The result is a colourful, textured sign with large letters spelling out the word “Glebe.” “It’s a fun, engaging way to identify our community,” says Lynne Barlow, the treasurer of Underground Sound, which helped fund the project.
“Having a sign stating your community’s name makes people feel proud that it’s being recognized as something worth marking,” she says. “The big colourful letters spelling Glebe really signify happiness, family and positivity. The large letters invite people to come and sit or stand beside it for photos.”
The sign was installed on a small parcel of land at the north end of the neighbourhood, just steps away from Jocelyn Galipeau’s new “Groovy Glebe” mural that was installed on the wall of Reliable Parts this summer. The two art pieces create a stunning, bold and creative entrance to the Glebe that is impossible to miss.
We would like to recognize those who spent countless hours designing, redesigning, presenting and facilitating the process during this three-year project. This initiative would not have been possible without the expertise of the following community stakeholders:
- Sarah Viehbeck, former president, Glebe Community Association
- Lynn Barlow, Underground Sound
- Allan Bateman, property owner
- Dave O’Malley, Aerographics
- John Wright, landscape architect
- Christopher A. Leggett, architect
- Robert Martin, architect
- Jonathan McLeod, assistant to Councillor Shawn Menard
- Andrew Peck, executive director, Glebe BIA.
A special thanks goes out to the folks at Underground Sound for all their contributions over the years to enhance the Bank Street experience. In addition to the new sign, they have been instrumental in the development of our new parkettes, the mural program and other initiatives. We appreciate the community commitment of its board members, both past and present, including Ian Boyd, June Creelman, Lynn Barlow, Caroline Vanneste, Leslie Fulton, Jim McKeen and Janet Sutherland.
The project was funded through a revitalization fund from the province of Ontario, the Glebe Business Improvement Area and Underground Sound.
Welcome to the Glebe!
Trevor Greenway is responsible for communications and membership at the Glebe BIA (Business Improvement Area.)
