Attention Downtown Businesses: Promote on the Trail!
Because I work in Macomb County and my company is a member I receive emails from the Romeo Chamber of Commerce. One email about the Macomb Orchard Trail caught my eye back in May from the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development. Over the summer, 13 signs were placed along the Macomb Orchard Trail from its start in Richmond all the way to the end in Shelby near Parkdale and Dequindre (which is paved all the way now). These signs contain information, maps and advertisements. The flyer is aimed at businesses in Macomb County but I think businesses in Rochester could take advantage of this as well.
I'm sure that many businesses downtown Rochester already spend a lot of money on advertising every year but these signs seem like a great opportunity for Rochester businesses to reach people in Macomb County. I spoke with Rachael Lisecki, the point of contact for the signs, and she said there is a special going on over the winter. As last winter was very mild, people were on the trail later in the season. Many Macomb County residents may not even know what downtown Rochester has to offer them from the trail because it passes south of town. If you aren't paying attention you can pass right by the sign where the Paint Creek Trail starts. The first time I rode into Rochester on the Clinton River Trail, before I moved here, I had no idea where I was when I turned off the trail and rode into Rochester. I had never seen it from anywhere other than Main Street. If you do turn onto the Paint Creek Trail and follow it around the library and under the Paint Creek Bridge, you could completely miss downtown.
Rochester is a great destination by bicycle but we don't have a lot going on to advertise it on our trails. Aesthetically that is a good thing. I would hate to have a trail system cluttered with all kinds of advertising. However, our sister trail system to the East has already installed these signs and we should take advantage of them.
Patricia Kane
7:52 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
I hope our trails which should be to get away from the cities and are primarily to take a walk or bike in a more natural environment and enjoy nature would be protected and maintained without the clutter of "advertising". The trails are not sidewalks or roadways and there should be someplace devoid of this. Perhaps only a directional sign, but please, no advertising or additional signage on our beautiful trails. Many areas close to us are already over saturated with signage and advertising and and are visually "cluttered". We don't need this unnecessary form of "pollution". This is a trail, not a roadway or city sidewalk and does nothing to enhance the experience. Signage and clutter of this type has to stop somewhere if not, everything turns into marketing venue.
David Gifford
8:27 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
That is why I am more so advocating for Oakland County businesses near the trial to utilize the advertising on the Macomb Orchard Trail. I feel we have more to offer from the trail than Macomb County does. If someone in Shelby or Washington is going to take a destination trip, they are more likely to check out a business in Rochester than one right around the corner from where they live. The point of this blog is to inform the businesses in Rochester that were not reached by this campaign. I don't want our trails to become cluttered with advertisement but we do need some better wayfinding signs on our trails. I am only suggesting temporary (seasonal) signs on the trial that point to downtown. While many Rochester area residents use the trails to get away from the city, many outside cyclists use the trails to come to our city.