'Wayfinding' signage extended to Cork suburbs 

Cork City Council said that as a compact city Cork is highly walkable, but that it is not evident due to the lack of on-street orientation and wayfinding signage. Picture: Damian Coleman

New “wayfinding” signage to help tourists as well as encouraging walking and biking for city-dwellers across Cork will be extended into the suburbs, according to details unveiled by Cork City Council.

The local authority has invited businesses to submit proposals for the tender to “support the development and roll-out of a new bespoke visitor orientation and wayfinding scheme unique to Cork celebrating the city’s maritime and built heritage”.

Fáilte Ireland boosted tourism in 2019 by granting local authorities funds to lift the industry in the regions, with €15.5m spread across the various coffers.

Cork City Council has allocated funds from its share to a wayfinding scheme, in order to boost outdated signage across the city and suburbs.

According to the tender from the local authority, Cork city “lacks on-street orientation tools at key arrival points, with little or no on-street mapping and limited directional signage for pedestrians and cyclists”.

The project will also extend into suburbs for approximately 2kms, the council said, with the provision of fingerposts highlighting walking and cycling times to the city centre, while “celebrating the links to the city and giving opportunities to examine its built heritage”.

It said that as a compact city Cork is highly walkable, but that it is not evident due to the lack of on-street orientation and wayfinding signage.

It said: “The city centre’s unique island layout, with river channels to its north and south, makes orientation particularly challenging for visitors, and they are often unaware of all the City has to offer. 

"This project will develop orientation and signage which is unique to Cork and imbued with a distinct sense of place.” 

Enhanced provision of mapping, signage, and wayfinding is one of the specific network improvements suggested in the strategy.

Submissions for the project are invited before October 9.