Don't worry, it's going

NO FANS: Masterton's new entrance signs have created an online furore. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

"Boring", "hideous" and "blahhh" are all words that Wairarapa Times-Age online Facebook posters have used to describe Masterton's new welcome signs.

But there is some good news: they were free, and they are only supposed to be temporary.

A "what do you think" photo of the sign was viewed more than 13,000 times, with more than 270 comments - a new record for the Times-Age.

Those commenting were firmly against the signs, but according to the Masterton District Council, they are a stop-gap until the town's entrance "pou" - tall posts with iconic symbols - are approved.

The Sign Factory in Masterton designed these signs, but they were not designer Matt Bain's original concept.

Mr Bain said he had "lost count" of the number of other designs submitted to Masterton District Council over the last few years.

"After numerous attempts over the past few years with various different designs submitted, it has proven difficult to find a design that was acceptable to all official parties involved at the MDC," The Sign Factory Facebook page stated on Sunday.

"They couldn't agree on any of them," Mr Bain said.

Eventually Mr Bain said he got tired of the process of submitting design ideas so he offered to gift the signs to the council.

"It got to the point where we just wanted to get something up so we said let's just gift it."

Asked about the negative comments on Facebook, he said "at least it's getting people to talk about it".

"I understand that the new signs may not be to everyone's liking. However I feel they are an improvement on what was to be a temporary welcome sign."

The temporary sign referred to was of two children playing rugby for the Rugby World Cup in 2011, also designed by The Sign Factory.

Council communications manager Sam Rossiter-Stead said the signs are only "temporarily in those locations".

He said council had rejected other designs and had chosen Mr Bain's. They were in the process of negotiating the price with him when the designer offered to gift them.

Roading contractors installed the signs at both ends of the town.

He said the council has decided to go with the pou design as a permanent welcome to Masterton, but were still waiting for approval from the New Zealand Transport Agency.

"Following the signage study produced by Craig Turvey of 3D Design, council resolved that the best form of welcome signage for the town would be the installation of three pou at each of the main entrances. We have made considerable progress with this over the past year and are currently awaiting sign-off."

The temporary signs then would be taken down and used at the sites of major events in Masterton for out-of-town visitors.

Examples Mr Rossiter-Stead gave were athletics meets or Masterton Town Hall events.

He said the intention for the signs was to replace the Rugby World Cup sign as a "stop-gap measure" until the Pou project is installed.

"Our main focus since May 2013 has been the Pou project, but we are very grateful that The Sign Factory has offered to help out with these temporary signs."

The council meets Thursday to further discuss the project.