South Hill Neighborhood Association Getting Neighborhood Signs

After gaining historic district status, association planning signs to mark neighborhood.

The South Hill Neighborhood Association is working on a plan to create wooden signs to mark the historic neighborhood, similar to signs for the Happy Valley and Sehome neighborhoods.

The sign would be the first of several the association hopes to place in the neighborhood over the next few years.

“We hope to have a plan or design for the next [neighborhood association] meeting on June 2,” Ray Ballweg, vice president of the neighborhood association and one of the planners of the signs, said. “We are still three or four months out and need to raise some more money.” He said the sign should cost approximately $1,500.

After finalizing a design, the neighborhood association will have to select a place to create the sign. They are considering Bellingham business Signs Plus, among others.

Ballweg said some possible locations for the first sign included the corners of Highland Drive and Knox Avenue, Knox Avenue and 14th Street, Boulevard and 14th Streets or Cedar and North Garden Streets.

**Update 6/3/2010**
The designs for the first sign are nearing completion. At last night's South Hill Neighborhood Association meeting Ballweg said the sign should cost $1,700 including the fees they have to pay the city. The committee has also prioritized locations, with 14th and State Street as the first location they will try and secure.