New banners are bigger, brighter
Staff writer
Summer is nearly here, and in keeping with warm weather, 30 bright banners were erected last week along Marion’s Main St.
Abstract illustrations of flowers in red, yellow, white, and blue adorn most of the banners. Four of them read “Welcome to Marion” in a diner-esque font on a white background.
Marion Pride Committee worked with Western Associates to purchase the banners.
“We have bought several sets of those banners,” Margaret Wilson said. “We think it makes our street look even more pretty.”
The group spent roughly $2,000 on the new batch of 30, Sally Hannaford said.
The flower design was chosen out of a catalog, Wilson said, with Hannaford deserving most of the credit for the final colors and designs.
“I’m really proud of them,” Wilson said. “They’re not too busy. They just look gentle, like Marion Main St.”
Old summer-themed banners were worn from years of use. They also were a different size than other banners, meaning workers had to adjust brackets on each lamppost when they were put up. This in turn was damaging the brackets.
“It was getting harder and harder for them to keep taking the brackets up and down,” Hannaford said. “It was kind of ruining them.”
The new banners are larger, allowing the brackets to stay in their preferred position year-round.
The Pride Committee has a variety of themed banners for different times of year, some of which they also would like to replace.
Hannaford said enough money was saved up to purchase one more batch.
“If it comes down to it, we’ll have to do another fundraiser, something like that,” she said. “Or maybe not put as many banners up.”
The new banners, made of a heavy vinyl, are expected to last quite a few years.