The Schneiders sign on Highway 401 has long been a symbol of drivers approaching the Waterloo region.
Photos of the work that was being done on the sign this fall sparked fears that it could be removed, but instead it is only getting a little facelift.
Matt Koretsky shared a photo on Facebook and received a flood of reactions and reflections.
“We shared some stories about our memories as kids driving from out of town and seeing that sign and being the Kitchener landmark where you knew you were a maximum of 15 minutes away from home,” he said.
The local landmark was installed in 1961, with a few tweaks and adjustments in the past.
“We know it’s a dear treasure,” said Janet Riley, vice president of communications for Maple Leaf Foods. “It’s the Wiener Beacon in the tri-city area.”
Work began in September, with regular maintenance and repairs for the Dutch Girl and Famous for Quality posters. The neon lights were replaced by LEDs in late November. Riley said the digital displays were removed on November 19 and replaced with new color displays the following week.
“We were able to replace the lights with LED lights, so they will consume a lot less energy, which is really consistent with our sustainability program,” Riley said.
Riley said the company was inundated with questions about the sign when work began, showing the importance of the landmark in the community.
“If you type Wiener Beacon in Google Maps, it will take you directly to the sign,” he said. “It’s amazing that our sign has that kind of prominence.”
Work on the sign is complete and will continue to guide travelers to the region.
“I passed by there at night not too long ago, just to see it at night, and it’s quite a bit brighter, that’s for sure,” Koretsky said.
Work on the sign was completed on November 30.
“If we have anything to say about it, it will be there for a long time,” Riley said.
Reference-kitchener.ctvnews.ca