Flamborough residents are being given a rare opportunity to be part of a history-making event. The Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society (WEFHS) is inviting residents to send in suggestions on the design of a coat of arms for Flamborough. Public input is also being sought for a motto summing up the community’s rich heritage.
The motto will be featured in Latin on the new coat of arms, which will hopefully be ready for formal presentation to the community next fall, said Nathan Tidridge, chair of the Grant of Arms committee recently formed to spearhead the project locally.
In September, the heritage group successfully petitioned the Chief Herald of Canada for a grant of arms. “Flamborough doesn’t have an official coat of arms,” Tidridge said, explaining that grants of armorial bearings are honours from the Canadian Crown, Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada.
The process will not only result in a coat of arms for Flamborough but also a flag. The current flag of the Town of Flamborough is more of a corporate logo, Tidridge said, noting it carries nothing that highlights the history of the community. A coat of arms, on the other hand, would reflect everyone and “we would all have ownership of it,” he explained.
Flamborough, which predates Confederation, has no shortage of historical highlights that could be incorporated in the coat of arms. The area’s Loyalist ties, its unique landscape dominated by the escarpment and its strong agricultural roots are just some of the areas that could be depicted on the arms.
To help come up with ideas and coordinate submissions from the public, the Grant of Armscommittee was formed by the WEFHS. It consists of representatives from across the region, including historical groups and members of community groups such as the Flamborough Hockey Association. Its membership is growing and new members are welcome.
“We want this to stay as local as possible and as grassroots as possible,” Tidridge explained, adding that letters about the project have been mailed out asking for input from service groups and churches in all the former townships that now make up Flamborough. Students from local high schools and elementary schools are also being encouraged to participate.
Saguenay Herald Forrest D. Pass, a specialist in the field of symbolism, has been assigned to the Flamborough file. Before submitting a preliminary sketch for the committee’s consideration, he has agreed to wait until the public gets a chance to suggest what symbols it hopes to see on a coat of arms. Tidridge said he hopes to publish the preliminary design in the Flamborough Review and invite comment from the community.
The bulk of the public submissions are expected to come in throughout January 2010. Ideas can be e-mailed to wefhs@hpl.ca (please put “Grant of Arms Committee” in the subject box) or mailed to: Grant of Arms Committee, The Waterdown East Flamborough Heritage Society, 163 Dundas Street East, Waterdown, ON L0R 2H0.
The committee is scheduled to meet January 2 to discuss various themes and will submit a report to the herald at the end of February summarizing public submissions.
Tidridge said it’s important to get the word out about the project during the Christmas season because many former residents will be coming home for the holidays and even though they no longer live in the area, they still have strong ties with Flamborough.
Noting that the coat of arms, once selected, will last forever, Tidridge stressed, “It’s important to get it right.” Members of the WEFHS expect the project will be “brought to life” by the opportunities given to the public to participate.
“The goal is to get everyone engaged in our history and educated about it,” said Tidridge.
Flamborough residents are being given a rare opportunity to be part of a history-making event. The Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society (WEFHS) is inviting residents to send in suggestions on the design of a coat of arms for Flamborough. Public input is also being sought for a motto summing up the community’s rich heritage.
The motto will be featured in Latin on the new coat of arms, which will hopefully be ready for formal presentation to the community next fall, said Nathan Tidridge, chair of the Grant of Arms committee recently formed to spearhead the project locally.
In September, the heritage group successfully petitioned the Chief Herald of Canada for a grant of arms. “Flamborough doesn’t have an official coat of arms,” Tidridge said, explaining that grants of armorial bearings are honours from the Canadian Crown, Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada.
The process will not only result in a coat of arms for Flamborough but also a flag. The current flag of the Town of Flamborough is more of a corporate logo, Tidridge said, noting it carries nothing that highlights the history of the community. A coat of arms, on the other hand, would reflect everyone and “we would all have ownership of it,” he explained.
Flamborough, which predates Confederation, has no shortage of historical highlights that could be incorporated in the coat of arms. The area’s Loyalist ties, its unique landscape dominated by the escarpment and its strong agricultural roots are just some of the areas that could be depicted on the arms.
To help come up with ideas and coordinate submissions from the public, the Grant of Armscommittee was formed by the WEFHS. It consists of representatives from across the region, including historical groups and members of community groups such as the Flamborough Hockey Association. Its membership is growing and new members are welcome.
“We want this to stay as local as possible and as grassroots as possible,” Tidridge explained, adding that letters about the project have been mailed out asking for input from service groups and churches in all the former townships that now make up Flamborough. Students from local high schools and elementary schools are also being encouraged to participate.
Saguenay Herald Forrest D. Pass, a specialist in the field of symbolism, has been assigned to the Flamborough file. Before submitting a preliminary sketch for the committee’s consideration, he has agreed to wait until the public gets a chance to suggest what symbols it hopes to see on a coat of arms. Tidridge said he hopes to publish the preliminary design in the Flamborough Review and invite comment from the community.
The bulk of the public submissions are expected to come in throughout January 2010. Ideas can be e-mailed to wefhs@hpl.ca (please put “Grant of Arms Committee” in the subject box) or mailed to: Grant of Arms Committee, The Waterdown East Flamborough Heritage Society, 163 Dundas Street East, Waterdown, ON L0R 2H0.
The committee is scheduled to meet January 2 to discuss various themes and will submit a report to the herald at the end of February summarizing public submissions.
Tidridge said it’s important to get the word out about the project during the Christmas season because many former residents will be coming home for the holidays and even though they no longer live in the area, they still have strong ties with Flamborough.
Noting that the coat of arms, once selected, will last forever, Tidridge stressed, “It’s important to get it right.” Members of the WEFHS expect the project will be “brought to life” by the opportunities given to the public to participate.
“The goal is to get everyone engaged in our history and educated about it,” said Tidridge.
Flamborough residents are being given a rare opportunity to be part of a history-making event. The Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society (WEFHS) is inviting residents to send in suggestions on the design of a coat of arms for Flamborough. Public input is also being sought for a motto summing up the community’s rich heritage.
The motto will be featured in Latin on the new coat of arms, which will hopefully be ready for formal presentation to the community next fall, said Nathan Tidridge, chair of the Grant of Arms committee recently formed to spearhead the project locally.
In September, the heritage group successfully petitioned the Chief Herald of Canada for a grant of arms. “Flamborough doesn’t have an official coat of arms,” Tidridge said, explaining that grants of armorial bearings are honours from the Canadian Crown, Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada.
The process will not only result in a coat of arms for Flamborough but also a flag. The current flag of the Town of Flamborough is more of a corporate logo, Tidridge said, noting it carries nothing that highlights the history of the community. A coat of arms, on the other hand, would reflect everyone and “we would all have ownership of it,” he explained.
Flamborough, which predates Confederation, has no shortage of historical highlights that could be incorporated in the coat of arms. The area’s Loyalist ties, its unique landscape dominated by the escarpment and its strong agricultural roots are just some of the areas that could be depicted on the arms.
To help come up with ideas and coordinate submissions from the public, the Grant of Armscommittee was formed by the WEFHS. It consists of representatives from across the region, including historical groups and members of community groups such as the Flamborough Hockey Association. Its membership is growing and new members are welcome.
“We want this to stay as local as possible and as grassroots as possible,” Tidridge explained, adding that letters about the project have been mailed out asking for input from service groups and churches in all the former townships that now make up Flamborough. Students from local high schools and elementary schools are also being encouraged to participate.
Saguenay Herald Forrest D. Pass, a specialist in the field of symbolism, has been assigned to the Flamborough file. Before submitting a preliminary sketch for the committee’s consideration, he has agreed to wait until the public gets a chance to suggest what symbols it hopes to see on a coat of arms. Tidridge said he hopes to publish the preliminary design in the Flamborough Review and invite comment from the community.
The bulk of the public submissions are expected to come in throughout January 2010. Ideas can be e-mailed to wefhs@hpl.ca (please put “Grant of Arms Committee” in the subject box) or mailed to: Grant of Arms Committee, The Waterdown East Flamborough Heritage Society, 163 Dundas Street East, Waterdown, ON L0R 2H0.
The committee is scheduled to meet January 2 to discuss various themes and will submit a report to the herald at the end of February summarizing public submissions.
Tidridge said it’s important to get the word out about the project during the Christmas season because many former residents will be coming home for the holidays and even though they no longer live in the area, they still have strong ties with Flamborough.
Noting that the coat of arms, once selected, will last forever, Tidridge stressed, “It’s important to get it right.” Members of the WEFHS expect the project will be “brought to life” by the opportunities given to the public to participate.
“The goal is to get everyone engaged in our history and educated about it,” said Tidridge.