Hollister officials are ready to start promoting Pinnacles National Park to people entering and living in the city.
Hollister council members at a recent meeting unanimously approved the design for a Pinnacles National Park monument sign at the city’s western gateway entrance.
The approval of a design, with the monument featuring a picture of a condor soaring over Pinnacles’ signature crags, is a precursor to the actual building and placing of the sign. Council members followed up on a June approval to use $50,000 in local transportation funds that were set aside by the Council of San Benito County Governments.
The city actually went through two request for proposal processes for the design portion of the project. The first time around, the city received just one design proposal so officials returned for another recruitment for such drawings. With the extension into mid-October, the city received a total of three proposals and approved the condor design in December. The winning design was submitted by Signs by Van in Salinas.
The chamber of commerce director, Pinnacles superintendent, COG director and city staff reviewed the designs and recommended the condor feature, according to a council report.
At the recent council meeting, Councilman Victor Gomez called the sign “beautiful” but added that he doesn’t “really see folks using this entry into Hollister” for national park visits. He said he understands, however, that the promotion is not just for visitors but to market the local community’s connection to Pinnacles.
Hollister planning official Mary Paxton mentioned how the city is in the process of finishing a wayfinding sign plan that will help promote Pinnacles in the community.
