The Village of Port Alice will be investigating whether it can put up a Frigon Road sign.
At Port Alice council’s regular meeting, a letter dated Oct. 13 from Rose Klein-Beekman was received, requesting a sign be placed at the Highway 30 turnoff to indicate the highway has been dubbed “The Frigon Road.”
Highway 30 was unofficially renamed this summer after a village-wide naming contest.Valerie Eyford’s winning entry the “Frigon Road” was chosen in honour of Ned Frigon, a pioneer and early settler of Port Alice.
The contest was an initiative of Klein-Beekman and Polly Steele, the village’s delegates to the North Island Tourism Committee.
“A tree has been removed from behind Strata 2 and there are some lovely big discs that would make a very unique sign and be cost-effective,” wrote Klein-Beekman. “We would like permission to have the sign installed at the cut-off and since it’s a little difficult for us to install it, we are hoping that our village workers could do that for us.”
Chief Administrative Officer Paul Carver recommended the village first check with the Ministry of Transportation “just because it’s in their corridor so staff will need to investigate.”
“If I remember correctly, when they originally wanted to rename the road they went down that avenue but they just got tired of the red tape, so I am just wondering if they are going to run into the same obstacles?” asked Coun. Dave Stewart.
Finance Officer Bonnie Danyk noted the first time Klein-Beekman and Steele contacted the ministry was to officially change the road name, but this time they just want to put up a sign.
“With the Ministry of Transportation, there is a permit that you need to get to be able to construct just because you are in that corridor,” noted Carver.
Coun. Marnie Chase, who was sitting in as Acting Mayor, said council would leave the issue with staff to research its feasibility.
“I’d just like to make a note that I appreciate what Rose and Polly are doing to encourage tourism in Port Alice and help put us on the map,” said Chase, adding “two great girls there.”