New Fort Adams Signage Designed By Roskelly, Provides Clarity and Ease of Navigaon to One of Newport’s Treasures
Newport, RI: Fort Adams State Park in Newport was recently given a brand new system of bright, bold signs to make the park easier to navigate for visitors, as well as to officially designate the new Bay Walk, a lovely 2.2-mile pathway which runs completely around Fort Adams State Park, offering spectacular views of the bay and Newport harbor, Fort Adams and additional fortifications, Eisenhower House , USS Bennington Memorial, Post Cemetery and other local sights. Especially when considering the ample parking provided at Fort Adams, the Bay Walk will offer tourists and locals an exceptional alternative to Newport’s very popular and well-trodden Cliff Walk.
At a special ribbon cutting ceremony, city and state leaders gathered to celebrate the official unveiling of the new signage designating the official Bay Walk. RI State Senator Teresa Paiva Weed, Newport & Bristol County Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO Evan Smith, Newport County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jody Sullivan, and Fort Adams Trust Executive Director Eric Hertfelder were just a few of the notable participants in the ribbon cutting.
President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed said, “As a former tour guide at Fort Adams, I have a deep affinity for all the park has to offer. The Bay Walk provides an ideal opportunity for visitors from Newport and from across the globe to walk, jog, hike or bike the perimeter of the park on a spectacular scenic route which is steeped in history. The Bay Walk, along with the beautiful restorations and preservation projects at the Fort, are a tribute to the dedicated staff, volunteers, and many members of the community who have been unwavering in their efforts to make Fort Adams the world-class attraction we know and love today.”
Near the ribbon cutting ceremony, the sounds of laughter and music could be heard as the park hosted a Family Fun Day with vendors, performers, animal rides, and other attractions for children and their families to play and enjoy the scenic location and all it has to offer.
“We are very excited to add the new Bay Walk trail to the list of exciting reasons to visit Newport,” said Evan Smith. “For the countless people who have come to Newport to enjoy the famous Cliff Walk, this gives them a reason to return: to discover another great walking trail with fabulous views of the harbor and bay and with plenty of free parking."
Jody Sullivan continued, “What makes Newport such a special destination is the large and unique variety of activities it offers, from historic architecture to our famed walks, drives, and gardens. Adding the Bay Walk makes Fort Adams and Newport an even more desirable destination for local residents and visitors alike.”
Portsmouth-based branding and graphic design firm Roskelly Inc. was commissioned to design the new walk signage, in conjunction with a larger project Roskelly recently completed creating all-new directional signage system for the park.
Said Eric Hertfelder, “The Fort Adams Trust is extremely pleased with the results, and we have received many compliments on the new signs from visitors and state park officials, and from the vendors who fabricated the final product.”
Building a strong brand
Fort Adams may have relinquished its original purpose as a military stronghold, but it remains a physical symbol of strength, durability. In order to capture these attributes, the new signage needed to be clear, noticeable, and commanding. This was accomplished through a series of eye-grabbing, bold, and consistent color schemes. The color blue was used prominently, capturing the blue of the waters surrounding Fort Adams. Additions of red and white evoke the American flag and the historical past of this national treasure. The words in the signage are large, clear, and easy to read. The green maps used are extremely detailed, making the park much easier to navigate, and the Bay Walk path is drawn in bright orange. The signs also appear one after the next within the viewer’s line of sight and are easy to spot, ensuring that visitors do not lose their way while exploring the park or the Bay Walk.
Eric Hertfelder commented on working with Roskelly Inc.: “Roskelly’s working method is very user friendly,” allowing the client to participate fully in the design process in real time. I was very impressed with their working speed in terms of generating multiple options to consider and responding to requests for changes and more options. I never felt like I had to prod them to keep the project moving.”
About Roskelly, Inc.
Roskelly Inc. Creative Brand Consultants, located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is a cooperative team of senior consultants that brings full service branding and marketing to its clients, including award winning logos, graphics design, advertising, copy, public relations programs, marketing materials, and web sites. For further information or to see how Roskelly Inc. can create a memorable brands for your company or products, telephone 401.683.5091 or go to www.Roskelly.com
Left to Right: Thomas Roskelly-Roskelly Inc., Kathy Silvia-City Clerk, City of Newport, Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed, Eric Hertfelder, Jim Moore-Fort Adams Trust, Evan Smith-Executive Director, Newport County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Representative Peter Martin of Newport, Jody Sullivan-Executive Director Newport County Chamber of Commerce, Larry Mouradjian- Associate Director for Natural Resources,
RI Dept. of Environmental Management
