Who is in Charge?

Once a project is finished and up-and-running, who takes responsibility for its upkeep? Sadly, often no one.

This sign is part of a larger project – A Heritage Trail – which one can only imagine was the subject of a lot of research, consultation and consideration at the time of its creation. It cost money to design and manufacture and there was probably a celebration held when the Trail was launched.

The signs are in prominent positions near the town’s major heritage assets. A larger sign at the local park encourages visitors to walk around and find out about the town.

But look at it. It’s dirty and a bit lop-sided. The state of it serves to contradict the main message about valuing heritage. Wouldn’t the return on investment be improved if there was an operational imperative to maintain this in a pristine condition, and proactively market the Trail experience through the social media? The end of a project is only the beginning. It is then that the real work starts.