Colfax Commercial Club considers way-finding signs

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX —  Have you ever noticed that Colfax does not have any signs directing people to the Colfax Fairgrounds? Or Evergreen Cemetery? Or to Colfax High School? Or the public library? Or the Colfax Railroad Museum? Or Tom Prince Memorial Park?

Of course, if you are from Colfax, you know where these things are.

But what if you are not from Colfax?

Installing “way-finding” signs was one of the recommendations listed in the Power of 10 Placemaking Report for Colfax accomplished through a grant received by the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission in 2012.

The Colfax Commercial Club discussed purchasing way-finding signs for Colfax at the September 3 meeting.

Finding a place to put the signs is going to be the challenge.

The state does not allow signs to be attached to state signposts for state highway signs, said Jackie Ponto, treasurer of the Colfax Commercial Club and administrator-clerk-treasurer for the Village of Colfax.

Ponto said she would check to see if would be possible to attach the way-finding signs to the village’s street signposts.

Scott Gunnufson, president of the Commercial Club and Colfax village president, said he would research sign makers and costs for the way-finding signs.

Colfax Commercial Club members agreed that contracting with a local company to make the way-finding signs would be desirable if a local company is available.

Members of the Colfax Commercial Club are committed to funding and implementing as many of the recommendations from the Power of 10 Report as possible.

The goal of the Power of 10 workshop was to identify ways to attract visitors to Colfax and to encourage visitors and local residents to explore Colfax and patronize local businesses.

The Colfax Commercial Club also is planning to install  benches and bicycle racks in the downtown area.

The Dunn County bike trail route enters Colfax on county Highway BB and exits at county Highway M.

Installing bike racks would encourage bicyclists to stop in Colfax on their way through town.

Over the fall and winter, the Colfax Commercial Club will research benches and bike racks with the goal of installing them next spring.

What’s next?

The Colfax Commercial Club also discussed the possibility of holding an “outdoor cinema” and a demolition derby next summer.

The outdoor cinema and demolition derby could be held at the Colfax Fairgrounds.

There is an outdoor cinema company that would set up the equipment and run the movies, and the Colfax Commercial Club would contract with the company for the event, Gunnufson said.

The cinema and the demolition derby would provide family entertainment for all age groups.

The demolition derby could be held in the afternoon, and the outdoor cinema could be an evening event.

The Colfax Commercial Club also discussed the possibility of holding another street dance in downtown Colfax later next summer featuring two bands on Main Street, food and a beer garden.

Sesquicentennial

Now that the bills have been paid for the Colfax Sesquicentennial celebration in July, Colfax Commercial Club members learned at the September 3 meeting that the total cost of the celebration was nearly $21,000.

Membership

Membership in the Colfax Commercial Club is open to all business owners, groups and individual residents in Colfax and the surrounding area.

If you would like to be part of an organization dedicated to promoting Colfax in a variety of ways, contact Jackie Ponto at (715) 962-3311; LeAnn Ralph at (715) 962-3535; or Mark Johnson at (715) 704-6086.

The Colfax Commercial Club meets next on September 24 at 6 p.m. at the Colfax Village Hall.