Traffic through Lawrence has been steady over the holidays and weekends this summer, but questions are being asked about the quality of the signs promoting the town.
Commercial properties on the Clutha town's main street relied on a favourable look to draw passers-by to visit shops and cafes, Cr Geoff Blackmore said when asked by the Otago Daily Times.
But the sign and mural that identifies Lawrence as ''The Gateway to Central Otago'' might be beyond repair, he said.
''That's the reason to look at the sign again, to see if it's doing its job, and just painting the outside of it is not going to do any good. You're better off redoing it, redoing the whole thing, I think,'' he said.
Council community services co-ordinator Loesje Morrison said the Clutha District Council and the Lawrence/Tuapeka Community Board were investigating options for repairing or replacing the sign.
The issue would be discussed at the community board's March meeting.
Then the board would look at options for either replacing or repairing the sign.
Cr Blackmore said discussions about the sign had been going on for about three years.
''We've been looking at whether we should update it or not, but now it's at the stage where it's been deteriorating faster than we thought it would.''
The sign, roughly 2.4m by 2.4m, has a map inset on it that is now out of date, as it does not include the Clutha Gold Trail, a cycling and walking trail that links the town and the Roxburgh dam, he said.
