Repairs to iconic Thetis Lake carved log entrance sign now complete

The Capital Regional District (CRD) has officially completed its repairs to the iconic wooden sign at Thetis Lake. 

In January 2023, the CRD faced massive public backlash when it first announced plans to remove the familiar wooden landmark and replace it with a smaller, modern sign as part of a broader effort to standardize signage across regional parks.

Thousands of people took to social media, expressing their opposition to scrapping the sign, with many arguing the old sign was part of the park’s identity. 

The CRD listened to the feedback and agreed the old sign would remain, but would instead be refurbished to extend its life. 

On Tuesday, November 10th, the CRD announced that repairs to the iconic carved log sign at Thetis Lake Regional Park are now complete.

The sign was originally carved by master carver Peter Martineau and installed in 1984 when the park was owned and operated by the City of Victoria. 

Over the past few months, CRD Regional Parks staff conducted extensive repair work to conserve the aging structure. 

This work culminated in a small unveiling celebration with the original carver’s family and those who worked on restoring his creation. 

“We would like to express our deep gratitude to the CRD for their huge efforts to restore this local landmark that was hand-carved on site in the 1980s by our late father,” said the family. 

“We were touched by the outpouring of community sentiment and support to keep the Thetis Lake sign and we’re so happy this iconic piece will live on.”

The CRD extended its appreciation to those who shared feedback to save the sign, followed the project’s progress and contributed to the conversation about the future of this iconic sign. 

The cost of the sign refurbishment project has not been publicly disclosed.