Hamilton flag makes councillor ‘puke’
 

Hamilton flag makes councillor ‘puke’
Looks more like ‘Communist’ symbol, says Mitchell

http://media.halton2.topscms.com/ima...f822d35f1.jpeg

By Kevin Werner/News staff
News
Feb 20, 2009
http://www.hamiltonmountainnews.com/news/article/164236

Do you know what Hamilton’s flag looks like?

Stoney Creek councillor David Mitchell asked that question recently to a few city employees and discovered they didn’t know.

His experience proved his point that Hamilton should replace its eight-year-old flag.

“(The flag) makes me puke,” said Mr. Mitchell, as he expressed a ribald opinion about the flag during a governance committee meeting to a number of his colleagues.

“Nobody knows it is Hamilton’s flag,” he said, showing the flag to staff, politicians and a couple of people sitting in the gallery. “It’s pathetic looking.”

He said the golden yellow circle of chains surrounding the cinquefoil on a blue background looks more like a “Communist” symbol and makes no impression on people compared to other flags.

The links have two meanings. One is a standard heraldic symbol of unity, with the larger links representing the six former municipalities. The links also represent Hamilton’s steel industry.

“It needs to be fixed,” he added. “Nobody has the guts to say it. But it needs to be said.”

The blue and yellow golden flag, which was approved by council in 2001, along with it’s a new coat of arms and triple H city symbol, was created by Bishop Ralph Spence, a leading specialist in the science of flags.

The cinquefoil in the centre of the flag is a heraldic flower of five petals that is the badge of the Clan Hamilton.

Mr. Mitchell, who was a member of the post-amalgamation council, voted along with other politicians for the flag, and the new coat of arms in the aftermath of amalgamation. The triple H symbol was created by a local marketing company. The logo has become incorporated onto all city documentation.

He said instead of the current flag, the city’s triple H, dark blue symbol should be incorporated into a new flag.

The three H’s, which represent the city’s bridges – including the High Level Bridge - and symbolizes unity and partnership, is a “beautiful” sign not what we have now, he said. The six pillars symbolize the city’s six former municipalities.

Other councillors, while laughing at Mr. Mitchell’s demonstration, reluctantly agreed with his opinion about the flag.

“I’ve never had an attachment to the flag,” said Stoney Creek councillor Maria Pearson.

West Mountain councillor Terry Whitehead said he is disappointed there is no “green” on the flag to symbolize the city’s Niagara Escarpment or environment.

Members of the governance committee, a subcommittee of the audit and administration standing committee asked that city staff review replacing the current flag and how much it would cost.

wtf? Who cares about the flag when there are so many more pressing things to worry about.

I think he secretly has a list of craft projects in mind for the piles of dead flags.

- Ukrainian shell suit
- Parachute pants
- Pirate shirt
- Communist teddy
- Drapes
- Dishtowel
- Windsock
- Car cover

exactly

i love this flag now, out of spite.

I don't mind the symbol on the flag. I actually think the chain motif is rather interesting. I'm not a huge fan of the colours, especially the yellow bands on each side. It's a bit Ikea with the blue and yellow.

I looked at the flags for Ottawa and Toronto and Vancouver, and they're all a bit blah and meaningless.

I do like the stylised H, but it's more of a logo than a flag design.

The real question is, does it really - honestly - matter?

This has got to be the funniest thread ever posted here. Got my vote for funniest thread of the year!

I hate the triple H. It is thin and crappy. As far as logos go, I miss the old hamilton wentworth one to be honest. This flag actually looks good to me and is definitely better than the triple H. If they used the flag, like, EVER, then maybe people would recognize it...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...th_RM_logo.png vs http://www.myhamilton.ca/Hamilton.Po...-logo-city.jpg

This is seriously freaking ridiculous. As already posted, there are more pressing things to be debated about by councilors than whether or not the flag looks communist. This isn't 1956. The cold war is over.

I don't get what's communist about it...

I quite like the triple H because it's kind of Deco.

Not sure why the flag is communist, lol, the chain?

Agreed. It's quite a clean logo, and the bridge motif is something that is, at least, something that can immediately resonate with the city.
I suppose there might be some who then link the bridge with the view from it? :shrug:

Sounds like Mitchell needs some remedial heraldry lessons!

Struggling to think of anything that the logo (his main point of contention) resembles from 'communist' imagery... colours are kinda similar to the Ukrainian flag, Khazakstan's as well but that has way more blue in it. In terms of former Soviet states, central Asian flags have green in 'em, and the CEE countries I can think of with blue and yellow in 'em also have red (Moldova, Romania).

I'd speculate it's yet another half-assed attempt to make a provocative soundbite grounded in ignorance. Ill-informed pomposity seems to be a trait held by most local politicians, regardless of country... :rolleyes:

Sigh...

Coordinate with local media to start a 'Design Hamilton's New Flag' competition.

Run the competition through the Cities web page, integrate YouTube by having contestants post videos of their flag design.

Have the public vote on their top 3 choices.

Have council and the Mayor vote on their favorite of the 3.

Send new flag design to Flag making company.

Done. New Flag.

or... just keep the current one. NEXXXT!

People occasionally assume that Raise the Hammer is communist as well, what with the hammer being raised and the pixellated hammer logo; so I have to support the Hamilton Flag if only out of solidarity for our shared oppression.