New Brandon University sign to light up this weekend for Homecoming

Brandon University’s latest landmark will bring a bit of brightness to the evenings, starting this weekend. The large new BU sign at 18^th Street and Victoria Avenue will be lit up all night long, starting tonight.

Although the sign was installed earlier this year, with final electrical hookups and testing completed last month, the switch will be flipped on tonight to mark the start of Homecoming celebrations, which are being held remotely this year.

“This new sign will represent Brandon University for years to come, linking alumni and our community to the campus as much as it stands for our current students, faculty and staff,” said BU Director of Marketing and Communications Grant Hamilton, who led the sign project. “Replacing the sign started as a BU50 initiative and alumni at that Homecoming provided great ideas that inspired the final design we’re proud to show off now. It’s nice to flip the switch and light it up in time for Homecoming again, even if it’s not in person.”

The new sign stands more than six-and-a-half metres high and is more than three metres wide at the top. It features bright lighting across letters that spell “Brandon University,” a golden side strip, and a chevron, all against a dark BU blue background. It replaces an old, inefficient sign that had long been burnt-out. The energy-efficient LEDs mean the new sign uses nearly 90 per cent less energy than traditional lighting would have.

“Working with Brandon University, we were able to reuse the basic structure of the old sign, keeping costs low while completely refreshing the design and style,” said Jason Alston from Cardinal Signs, which won the RFP to produce the new sign. “We also created a completely new scaffolding structure inside so that anytime in the future, the exterior of the sign can be easily and affordably redone.”

The new sign introduces a slight angle on one side, intended to evoke a sense of forward progress and momentum. It is large enough to be clearly legible from vehicles passing by on the road, while also featuring close-up details like versions of the BU and Bobcats logos for those on foot. This feature also adds a texture to the sign in different lights and angles

“Our plan for next summer is to create a nice platform at the base of the sign, and to open up the grassy area so that people can pose next to the sign and celebrate their connection with Brandon University,” Hamilton said. “It was important to us that this be people friendly, and not just a sign for cars. We built this to be a popular photo spot at Orientation, Convocation, and at future Homecomings.”

Sign Lines:

• Top is 6.7 metres above the ground
• It is 3.2 metres wide at the top
• 55+ linear metres of steel angle added to original steel I-beams
• 150+ linear metres of aluminum square tube
• 30+ metres of outer skin
• 1,260 individual LED lights
• 336 watts of power (if lit traditionally, energy requirements would exceed 3,000 watts)

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