CLYDE – While Drumheller boasts its dinosaur attractions and Torrington is known for its quirky gopher-painted fire hydrants, Clyde is gearing up to stamp its own image into people's minds.
The village is considering rebranding around a stamp and post office theme after marketing strategist Corey Brewis from Alberta-based Unfussy had suggested to council that they capitalize on the fact that Clyde was named after its first postmaster, George D. Clyde.
“It should be something to make us unique, something to help us to be remembered,” said Mayor Charis Aguirre during the Village of Clyde’s Public Policy and Priorities meeting on Sept. 16.
The village’s theme, logo, and tagline should “make people smile or catch their eye” and help them remember Clyde, she said, adding that if residents fell in love with the idea, Clyde could highlight the various ways mail was delivered throughout Canada’s history, from carrier pigeons, and horseback riders to trains.
Aguirre said the village could even have an old-fashioned “postmaster” wearing a traditional hat lead the local parade and become a “character” for Clyde at other annual events.
Coun. Donna Moore said she likes the postmaster idea because that’s what the village was named after.
The village could also build a shell front small post office with objects for kids to play with at the local golf course, create a stamp and post office museum, and feature Santa mail at Christmas time, said Agguire.
“There’s lots of things to play off to create something memorable about our community versus it’s just a village, here we are,” she said. “We want to be a place where people want to come.”
Deputy Mayor Alma Cruise Irwin agreed, noting that while tourism isn’t currently an industry in Clyde, there’s potential.
“Tourism isn’t here now, but it’s an industry people want.”
“If we create something then people would come,” said Aguirre.
Council directed administration to go back to Unfussy, which has been contracted to help with the village’s rebranding, to provide more logo samples and tagline suggestions around the mail, stamp and postmaster theme.
Chief Administrative Officer Jaye Parrent suggested council hold a special meeting ahead of its Oct. 21 regular council meeting to discuss the rebranding further.
