Thanks to former Mission Beach resident Chris Cott and friend Tom Plonka, Mission Beach welcomes beachgoers with a brighter, more dazzling introduction. The two men spent two days this past week restoring one of the colorful welcome signs for Mission Beach, located at the intersection of Pacific Beach Drive and Mission Boulevard near the Catamaran Resort and Spa. This sign was originally designed, built, and painted by Cott in 2006, with the intention of conveying some of Mission Beach’s most well-known aspects. It lasted about five years, calling for it’s first renovation in 2011. With the UV clear that was recently painted on top, the sign should last at least another 10 years. “It is important to renovate the signs when they start to wear and tear because it gives the impression that the community cares,” Cott said. The positive impact that Cott’s upgrade has had on the community is just what he had hoped for. He said that “lots of people honked and even stopped to say ‘thank you’” as he and Plonka were repainting the sign. Cott also mentioned that the Mission Beach Town Council had a plan to place solar lights around the perimeter of the sign so it can shine at night. If all goes to plan, people will be able to admire the work of art even after the sun sets.