The concept plan for the signs was revealed last night at a public meeting by Gore district councillor Neville Phillips, of the Mataura ward.
About 60 were at the meeting hosted by the Mataura Community Board.
Cr Phillips said the signs would be about 3.6m high by about 1m wide and made of a plinth of stressed concrete.
The lettering for the words would be made of metal.
The waterfalls and the river to be depicted on the signs were important landmarks in the town, he said.
The signs would be placed at Mataura’s four entry points.
While it might seem like a lot of money to spend on a sign, the town’s previous signs had been put up in 1989, he said.
"We are hoping in 2022 we will have these new signs erected at the entrance to Mataura,” Cr Phillips said.
The board wanted signs visitors to the town would want to have their photograph taken with.
"We wanted something that stood out and I believe that stands out.’’
The future of the former Mataura Railway Station was also discussed.
In 2019, the Gore District Council bought the Main St building from KiwiRail for $1 under the condition it was moved off the site.
The board has been overseeing the project to determine what should happen with the building.
Board chairman Alan Taylor said the board had bought land which would be suitable to site the building.
However, several factors would influence whether the building was moved there.
"It is conditional on resource and building consents,’’ Mr Taylor said.
The board also needed community support for the project.
"It will take a community effort to make this project a reality.’’
Funding would be another challenge.
However, the board believed it was important to try to save the railway station building.
There were other groups interested in taking it if the community did not want to be part of its restoration, he said.
It was not just about shifting an old building.
"It’s honouring the people of the past and securing some of that past for future generations.
"As a community we have to decide whether we want to do this or not.’’
The land was next to Queens Park which meant if there was not enough public support for the station to be shifted there, the land could be developed into another community asset, he said.
- By Sandy Eggleston
