A concept for a Welcome to Edmonds sign designed by local artist Mack Benek has found a new home — at the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center log cabin on 5th Avenue.
With support from local business owner Mike McMurray, Benek created the sign design when city officials in 2018 began seeking community input on options for replacing the aging Welcome to Edmonds gateway sign along State Route 104. After two public open houses, and two online surveys with more than 1,800 responses, the city chose a design by Clayton Moss, owner of Edmonds-based Forma Design, for the Highway 104 location.
Benek’s sign came in second in an online survey, with 600-plus votes.
When McMurray heard that the Visitors Center sign was scheduled to be replaced with “a plain brown Edmonds metal sign,” he offered Benek’s design as an optional replacement. After the sign concept received positive feedback from visitors center volunteers, it was created and then installed in front of the log cabin,
McMurray said that Benek “is honored to have a piece of his art on display in his hometown, being an artist of more than 50 years, and having been a local Edmonds artist for 40 of those years.”
Meanwhile, installation of the new Welcome to Edmonds gateway sign has been delayed due to COVID-19 related impacts on the city’s parks maintenance division, said Edmonds Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Angie Feser. “We have not set a date for the gateway sign installation as we are still establishing our parks small capitals work plan for the year,” Feser said.
Love it!
This is very cool. Love it.
This sign is awesome.
Thanks Mack, and thanks Mike.
It’s beautiful!
Not only a cool design but also wonderfully crafted. Those traditional symbols of Edmonds, the ferry and the seagull, are actually 3-dimensional~ little models affixed to the sign. On days with afternoon sun, they will cast little shadows onto the Puget Sound water.
Now if Mack could find and install that missing apostrophe, it would be perfect indeed.
It is a beautiful sign for the VISITORS’ CENTER. Thank you, Mack and Mike.
Embrace imperfection is my motto.
It’s a beautiful work of art.
This was the sign I voted for. It should have been #1. There are very few places in Washington State and other areas of the United States that have ferry boats in their city, and we are one of them. The first things I noticed when I first came to Edmonds was the Sound, the Olympic Mountains and the ferry boats. Thank you Mack Benek for this beautiful design and Mike McMurray for your support!
Great example of good civic citizenship Mike. A great tribute to the town and the artist. Your efforts say a lot about who we really are here and what we have to offer each other and our visitors.
Me too. This is the sign that I voted for in the competition to replace the Welcome sign on the north approach into downtown Edmonds from
104.
I just love this sign.? It captures the essence with the water, ferry boat and mountains.
It looks like a well crafted sign. I am happy that it found a home at the visitors center. It should last for many years to come.
Thank you Mack Benek for your design and implementation skills to create this gorgeous sign: Thank you, again.
Kristiana Johnson
Thank you Mack Benek for your beautifully crafted sign and Mike McMurray for your support. I, too, voted for this one as it depicts what is so special about our city. The ferry and the mountains really stand out and are just lovely! How great to have it now in front of the Visitors Center.
I am disappointed that this should have been our replacement sign to the entry of Downtown Edmonds. I am glad my neighbor got a home for this design. Thank you Mack.