Wetaskiwin, Alberta (Canada)

In recognition of its 100th birthday, the City of Wetaskiwin, Alberta was granted an official coat of arms and municipal flag by Robert Douglas Watt, Chief Herald of Canada on June 15, 2006 and which was published in the Canada Gazette on November 18, 2006. A description of the municipal flag and coat of arms is in the copies of the municipal by-laws below.

BY-LAW NO. 1674-06
OF THE CITY OF WETASKIWIN
IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA

A Bylaw to amend the Coat of Arms Bylaw No. 14

WHEREAS Grants of armorial bearings are honours from the Canadian Crown;

AND WHEREAS the Canadian Heraldic has granted a new Coat of Arms, Supporters and Flag to the City of Wetaskiwin in recognition of the City's 100th birthday;

NOW THEREFORE, the Municipal Council of the City of Wetaskiwin has deemed it necessary to make the following amendments to Bylaw No. 14 as follows:

The City of Wetaskiwin Alberta as granted by Robert Douglas Watt, Chief Herald of Canada, on 15 June 2006 and entered into volume V, Page 29 of the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada as shown in Schedule "A".

Arms: The hills refer to the nearby Peace Hills, the site of a peace treaty between Cree and Blackfoot circa 1867. The Cree word Witaskiwinik, meaning "place of peace", was adapted for location of the new settlement. The wild roses are a feature of the prairie and are the provincial flower of Alberta. The star at the top represents the North Star.

Motto: PACEM VOLO VELLUM PARO, meaning "I wish for peace; I prepare for war", refers to the peace treaty between the armed Cree and Blackfoot warriors.

Supporters: The Cree warrior refers to the event which gave the city its name, and the bear is an example of local wildlife.

Original concept of Bruce Patterson, Saguenay Herald, based on the design adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Wetaskiwin in 1902, assisted by the Heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority.

This Bylaw shall come into full force and effect on the date of signing.

READ a first time this 11th day of December, 2006.
READ a second time this 11th day of December, 2006.
READ a third time this 11th day of December, 2006.

BYLAW NO. 14

A Bylaw of the Town of Wetaskiwin adopting a coat of arms for said Town of Wetaskiwin.

Whereas it is an ancient British Custom handed down to these days, and also introduced into the Dominion of Canada for the towns and corporations to adopt certain designs and charges as their coat of arms;

And whereas it is desirable that the Town of Wetaskiwin following the example of other Canadian Towns, Cities and Corporations, do adopt that ancient and honourable custom;

Therefore, the Mayor and Council of the Town of Wetaskiwin enact as follows:

The Coat of Arms of the Town of Wetaskiwin shall be as follows:

Shield

Horizontally divided; upper field blue, charged with a green hill, the top of which reaches to the centre of the field. Over the top of the hill a golden, six pointed star, representing the North Star, referring to the northerly position of this country.

Lower Field

Silver, charged with three green hill tops, representing the Peace Hills, near Wetaskiwin, where certain Indian Tribes met and made peace, at the same time distrusting each other, and ready for any unexpected attacks. Over the hill tops five red full faced wild roses which adorn our wild prairie, stalked and barbed.

Crest

Upon an alternately silver and red torse, the three green hill tops and the five wild roses as in the lower field.

Supporters

To the right of the shield a red Indian warrior holding a tomahawk in his right hand, diagonally across his breast to the right shoulder; to the left of the shield a brown bear, erect, holding the shield with his front paws.

Motto

"Pacem volo, bellum paro" referring to the treaty of Peace between those above mentioned Indian tribes, which event gave this locality the name of Wetaskiwin, or Peace Hills, the land where peace was made.

Signed by A.R. Dickson, Mayor

Passed July 9, 1902
Third Reading

text and image contributed by Darrell Neuman, 4 January 2007

The City of Wetaskiwin, Alberta (population: 11,154 ) had its centennial celebration on July 28, 2006. A special logo was designed for this event and small flags bearing the centennial logo on a white background were put on display and hung from street light poles along the road through the main commercial district referred to as the "Auto-Mile" of town. The city's name comes from the Cree word wîtaskîwin-ispatinaw, meaning "the hills where peace was made". (Though it is worth noting that some Native Canadians that live in the area claim that it means "Sharing Mother Earth"). The centennial logo has a representation in yellow of the municipal water tower originally built in 1906 which was refurbished in 2005. It is considered the oldest working water tower in Canada. Wetaskiwin also has the distinction of having the highest level of car sales per capita in Canada, due to catchy advertising produced through co-operation of all of the auto dealers lining the "Auto Mile". Though the slogan "Cars Cost Less in Wetaskiwin" tends to embarrass many of the residents of Wetaskiwin, the TV, newspaper and radio advertising campaign has clearly had an impact and is quite successful. In many cases, that slogan is all that the people in nearby municipalities like Edmonton< located 70 km North know about Wetaskiwin. (Source: Wikipedia).

Another slogan used is "Wetaskiwin, A City in Motion".
Darrell Neuman, 23 November 2006