By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: June 23, 2012
Are you lovin’ it?
That is a question McDonald’s might be asking about its architecture in Squamish.
McDonald’s is planning to add dollops of sheen to its facade, giving it a more contemporary, west coast look.
The fast food restaurant is hoping to undertake extensive renovations this summer, adding and elevating signs for maximum exposure for travelers on Highway.99.
Given it location, McDonald’s has become almost synonymous with Squamish. Now, McDonald’s might even be takeing it up a notch, with a ‘Welcome to Squamish’ sign just underneath the entrance.
On Thursday, June 21, McDonald’s representatives laid the plan before district’s advisory design panel committee.
“We want to communicate a more contemporary and a relevant brand to our customers,” said Johnathon Pedlow, McDonald’s real estate manager.
Last year the megacorporation announced it would spend $1 billion on revamping 1,400 stores in Canada.
The sprucing up includes interiors that would be made more inviting and comfortable, and feature bright colours, fireplaces, and flat-screen televisions.
The Squamish McDonald’s exterior will get a gloss-over, starting with the roof.
The typical red mansard roof will be straightened for an upward sweeping roof with exposed timber, above which will tower the name McDonald’s .
A prominent new exterior feature would be red ‘blade’, a central and attention-grabbing architectural element, an ‘eye-catching’ home for the corporate logo.
McDonald’s representatives said the building front is unique to Squamish, a departure from the traditional style.
“There are a lot of elements here that you won’t see in any McDonald’s across the country or the US,” McDonald’s staff added.
McDonald’s will leave 15 existing bike racks untouched, although it plans to alter the drive-thru area to make it a two-lane driveway.
The advisory design panel is made up of prominent architects from Squamish and region.
Their job, as the name suggests, is to give impartial advice to the district on policy affecting the community’s physical environment.
Tom Barrat, Jasmine Henzcel, James Tuer, Jamie Martin, Andreas Kaminski, and Anrnerieke Van Hoek were some of the panel members who were present at the meeting.
Several concerns were raised about the McDonald’s design, but what the committee members found hard to digest was the number of signs (seven) the fast food company plans to put up on the exterior.
“This is signs, signs, signs every where,” said Barrat, a well-know architect.
The one the architects found most savourless was at the north end, a mini bill-board sign that screams McDonald’s.
“It’s more signage than architecture,” said James Tuer.
The sentiment was shared by other members who suggested McDonald’s take a second look at that one particular sign.
Jasmine Henzcel also suggested that McDonald’s consider wiping off a Mcafe sign, a brand that competes with Starbucks.
The representatives promised to take a second look at some signs.
Great, so McDonald’s will be welcoming the world to downtown Squamish because council can’t seem to get it together to create a sign for that intersection.
From the picture it looks like a stranded boat with a misplaced funnel. Does Squamish want to be singled out with a ‘unique design not seen elsewhere’ as ugly as this?
I wonder if they will be updating the play place? It is a great thing for Squamish since it is a free area for kids to play on a rainy day! Although I wish they would find a way to keep it cleaner. A ball pit that had some sort of cleaning system would be amazing! That would attract many customers since kids love ball pits and there is not one in Squamish.
We obviously need a better sign bylaw in Squamish. Commercial signs should not be the icons that dominate our town.
Who the heck do these nitpickers think they are telling McD that they have “too many signs, wiping off the McCafe sign that competes with Starbucks” and more. Is it your McDonalds or your money being spent? If not you should shut it.
This town is full of nitpickers always trying to interfere in every damn thing anyone tries to do. If you are a regular traveler you know that this upgrade is nothing out of the ordinary at all and completely normal for all McD in the world to do so every few years.
Does anyone know if they are putting in a ball put snd what the plan is for the play place? I am so excited to have a dry & free place to being the kiddies. I hope they can find a way to keep it cleaner though!!