Sechelt Coun. Doug Hockley expressed his displeasure last week with the current District of Sechelt logo and tag line, asking council to consider holding a public contest to find something new.
The current logo, a circle of yellow S's with the tag line "Naturally Spirited," was selected by the previous council in 2011. It was a process that cost taxpayers $20,000 and now most of the vehicles and signs in the District have been changed accordingly.
At the Feb. 22 committee of the whole meeting, Hockley said he dislikes Sechelt's new logo that "is not representing anything common to our community," and noted the tag line "Naturally Spirited" is currently copyrighted by VIMEO, a beverage company that markets cocktails and sponsors www.naturallyspirited.com.
His final strike against the current logo was the fact that an off-Coast company came up with the design.
"I know a more contemporary graphic and tag line could have and should have been designed and produced here within the confines of the District of Sechelt," Hockley said.
Coun. Chris Moore was in agreement: "Coun. Hock-ley, I commend you on bringing this forward it was a constant issue of discussion during our electoral campaign last fall and there were a lot of irate people in the community who felt we sold ourselves short in terms of what we settled for," Moore said.
Coun. Alice Lutes, who was on the 2011 council that passed the current logo and tag line, spoke against Hockley's idea: "A committee was formed that did do the work on this, it did go out to the local community and they weren't successful in bidding on it," Lutes said, adding everyone she gives her new business card to is pleased with the graphic.
"For that reason, if only that reason, I have to support what we have here."
Coun. Mike Shanks was concerned about the cost of changing logos again on District vehicles, signs and stationery.
The issue will be discussed at a future meeting.
