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Special to the American Press

The Welcome to Westlake billboard was damaged like much of Southwest Louisiana following the devastating 2020 hurricane season. While it may not sound like a huge deal in comparison to all that is going on in the area, Phillips 66 made it their mission to restore the sign to help rebuild the city’s entrance and showcase the resiliency of the community. The replacement of the Welcome to Westlake billboard project was completed March 17.

 “The Welcome to Westlake billboard is the first impression to the gateway into our city. Traveling back to work at Phillips 66 after the hurricanes of 2020 and seeing the iconic sign in disrepair was heartbreaking. We wanted to refurbish the sign to stimulate civic pride and show the strength of the people in Southwest Louisiana,” said Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex General Manager Jolie Rhinehart.

 “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Phillips 66 for replacing the Welcome to Westlake sign. Their continued support of the community of Westlake and all of Southwest Louisiana exemplifies their dedication to improving the quality of life for all of our citizens,” said Randy Burleigh, District 14 Calcasieu Parish Police Juror.

 “As a longtime resident of the Westlake community, I wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Phillips 66 for taking the initiative to replace our storm mangled “Welcome to Westlake” sign.  Since the twisted and missing panels of the sign served as a constant reminder of the great devastation so many of our citizens experienced from the aftermath of hurricanes Laura and Delta, Phillips 66’s commitment to restore the sign is a perfect example of neighbor helping neighbor restore the community we all love. I’m confident the new “Welcome to Westlake” city sign commissioned by Phillips 66 will inspire confidence that Westlake is as it’s moniker states, La Ville Unie, “The City United,” said Mimi Hayes, treasurer of La Ville Unie.  

 La Ville Unie, a Westlake non-profit organization that stands for The City United in French, was formed in 2015 to establish an annual city festival and develop a beautification program for the city of Westlake.  Since then, La Ville Unie’s board of directors spearheaded the Westlake Sign Revamp Project that came to fruition in 2017 with a redesigned Welcome to Westlake billboard.

 Local entrepreneur, Madison King, owner of Sign King, designed the graphic elements of the sign. The thought behind the mural was to include several of Westlake’s familiar landmarks.

 The original Welcome to Westlake billboard was installed in 1993.  The updated design was imprinted on aluminum sheets with aluminum rivets by Sign World of Lake Charles in 2017. The sign is 17 feet tall and 124 feet long and weighs 17,900 lbs. The total cost for the refurbishment in 2021 was $80,000 and paid for by Phillips 66, which has been a pillar of the Westlake community for 80 years.The project for a new Welcome to Westlake sign is now complete. The previous sign was damaged by Hurricane Laura.

Special to the American Press