Schneiders sign damaged in storm

A popular sign known as ‘the Wiener Beacon’ has been damaged. CTV’s Colton Wiens reports

A Wellington County landmark has been damaged by a storm.

For years, the Schneiders sign has stood as the “wiener beacon” for people driving along Highway 401 near Puslinch.

But on Tuesday, the top left corner pieces of the iconic sign were missing and half of the girl’s face featured on the sign has disappeared.

“The landmark Schneiders sign in Wellington County sustained some damage in a recent storm,” Maple Leaf Foods, the company that owns the sign, told CTV News in an email.

The landmark was installed in 1961 and has had some tweaks and tune-ups over the years. It was refurbished around 2013 and 2021. The landmark most recently had its neon lights replaced by LEDs and digital screens were removed and replaced with new colour screens.

“Rest assured that the iconic “Dutch Girl” is not going anywhere and we are working to have the sign repaired as quickly as possible," the email added.

The sign has become such an important part of the landscape it has inspired local artists. Trevor Clare once digitally painted the sign and said it is his best selling print and his work was also featured on a shirt.

“People get a lot of fond, nostalgic memories from it,” Clare said.

“It was sad. I mean, yes, we know it as the Schneider sign, but we also know it as the ‘almost home sign.’ A lot of people, they see it, and it’s a welcome reminder that they’re a couple miles from home. So I think it kind of hits people and it strikes people in the heart a little bit,” Clare said.