WESTLOCK – After months of discussion and public input, the town of Westlock officially adopted a new flag design during their council meeting on Monday, Jan. 13, in alignment with the town’s ongoing rebranding initiative. The motion to update the existing flag was passed by council after extensive deliberation, with council members voicing opinions on behalf of residents both for and against the change.
The decision was not taken lightly by council, who spent the past three months getting feedback from residents and modifying the finer visual details on the flag to reflect the community’s values. Ultimately, it was agreed that the new design was a harmonious fusion of old and new— carefully incorporating key historical elements of the petunias and the robin from the original flag, with a more modern, updated visual. The flag is seen as symbolic of the evolution of the town over the years.
Debbie Mottus, Communications and Marketing Coordinator for the Town of Westlock, says the flag’s design has changed substantially since the first presentation to council during their meeting in November. Numerous changes occurred since that first design, in accordance with feedback from the community.
“The initial concept for the redesigned flag was much more minimal, comprised of simply the brand colours and an illustrative section of the town’s roads,” she says. Council has been working with a design company that has been guiding the town’s brand identity shift.
Mottus notes that the changes to the flag is not a complete redesign, rather updates to the colours, fonts, and alignment. “We’ve been working on an overall refresh of the organization’s brand identity since 2023,” adds Mottus.
The redesign is also part of a broader initiative to revitalize Westlock with other projects underway to improve public spaces, attract new businesses, and enhance the overall quality of life. Council expressed their hope that the new flag will serve as a point of pride for visitors and residents alike.
“So much of this comes down to business attraction.” says Jon Kramer, mayor of the town of Westlock. “As we're looking at economic development in the years ahead, we know that we need to keep things fresh, clean and updated in order to contribute to that growth.
Though some expressed concern on new flags being an unnecessary budgetary concern, Mottus says this change was well-planned, aligning with when the town is to purchase new flags anyway. “We purchase flags semi-annually, and this will proceed normally with no additional cost impacts due to the new design. We were able to roll this out slowly and incrementally to minimize costs.”
For residents of Westlock, this new flag represents more than just a visual change. It is a symbol of a community with a deep-rooted history and an exciting vision for the future.
Kramer says, “We hope people like it and are proud of it."
