Riverside Park in Kamloops could soon be home to a marquee welcome sign that greets visitors to the Tournament Capital of Canada.

The sign is one of 10 supplemental budget items being considered this year, with the estimated $150,000 cost being split between Tourism Kamloops, Communities in Bloom, and the City of Kamloops.

“The intent of the welcome sign is to create a place-making opportunity for residents and visitors to identify the space as ‘Kamloops’,” a report to City Council said. “The project is intended to use colours of the letters to convey a feeling of inclusiveness and appreciation for the diversity and beauty of our peoples.”

Communities in Bloom have committed $30,000 towards this sign with Tourism Kamloops also contributing $30,000.

The City’s Interim Financial Officer, Dave Hallinan, says the project partners have also applied for a $70,000 tourism grant, with the City covering the remaining $20,000, with money from gaming reserves.

A decision on that grant is expected this month.

“If the grant turned out not to be successful, we do have adequate funding in the gaming reserve to be able to prop up that to $90,000, Hallinan said.

The City’s Civic Operations Director, Jen Fretz, says the sign will likely not be lit up to begin with – owing to the costs – though it is something that could be looked at in the future, should the project go ahead.

“The hope is that it will be somewhere in and around Riverside Park and the idea of completing it in spring of this year to have it ready for the Memorial Cup, so it is all going to happen very very quickly,” Fretz added.

While no renderings of the sign were made public Tuesday, Fretz says sign will also portray the city’s relationship with Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc.

City Council is expected to make a final decision on all supplemental budget items on March 7.