Truck 1, Squamish entrance sign 0.
Having withstood vandals stealing its lettering more than once in December, the municipality's Squamish welcome sign lost its battle with a truck early Tuesday (Feb. 7).
At 3:29 a.m., a man returning from work fell asleep at the wheel of his pickup truck. The vehicle sped off Highway 99, into the sign and down a small bank.
The man had just finished working seven consecutive, 10-hour shifts, Squamish RCMP Staff Sgt. Guy Pollock said.
"He was OK," Pollock said, adding that he didn't immediately know whether officers had cited the driver for any traffic violations in the incident.
The District of Squamish is obtaining estimates for a new sign, Mayor Rob Kirkham wrote in an email to The Chief, noting he is glad to hear the driver was not hurt. The sign was built in 2003 at a cost of $15,000.
"We are also in contact with ICBC to determine if they will cover the cost of a new sign," he wrote.
As for the look of the signboard, the municipality will have to determine whether it should have a different appearance, he wrote. District officials will also "carry out a thorough evaluation about the location of the sign" and incorporate safety measures that might be recommended by the RCMP.
Two months ago, the sign was targeted by vandals several times with various letters in the word "Squamish" going missing. At the time, district operations manager Bob Smith told The Chief replacing a single letter cost $250. The district was considering more vandal-proof alternatives to the sign's design, said Smith.
