News release from the Northeast Indiana Regional Coordinating Council:
Northeast Indiana Trail Branding and Wayfinding Public Meeting
(January 5, 2016) – The Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council (NIRCC) would like to invite all citizens to attend a public meeting/open house to provide feedback on the Northeast Indiana Trail Branding and Wayfinding initiative. NIRCC has contracted the consultant firm Merje to provide services that assist in preparing a comprehensive branding initiative for the regional trail system in Northeast Indiana. Merje has experience in market research, strategic planning, corporate identity/branding (including logo development and graphic standards), creative, interactive marketing, promotions and wayfinding. The services they provide will result in a regional trail system name, logo and signage design/sign templates for trail identification, trail gateways, trail information and other wayfinding signs. A number of logos for specific trail sections within the regional trail network will also be created. The regional trail system covers Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley Counties, and the communities within.
The Regional Trail System needs a name, it needs a brand. We need something to call our system that speaks to residents of and visitors to Northeast Indiana, and logos to capture visually the message of our trails. It should be unique, and allude to Northeast Indiana’s history and fit with other community attractions and branding efforts. The dynamics are many as different existing trails with different “owners” need to maintain their identities, new trails taking various routes will require consistent signage and information regarding directions and destinations, and naming must take into account history, culture and community identities. A named and branded system will simplify the marketing of our trail system to users and potential funding partners, thereby playing a crucial role in the development of our trail system and soliciting private investment.
The Northeast Indiana Trail Branding and Wayfinding public meeting will be held on Thursday evening January 14, 2016 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Parkview’s Mirro Center Grand Hall located at 10622 Parkview Plaza Dr. Come represent your Northeast Indiana community!
January 14, 2016 from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Mirro Conference Center Grand Hall
10622 Parkview Plaza DrWith advance notice NIRCC can make accommodations for persons with disabilities and persons requiring auxiliary aids for the hearing and visually impaired. In addition, accommodations for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) persons such as language translation services/interpreters can be made, with advance notice. Please contact the NIRCC Office at (260) 449-7309 should accommodations be needed.