March 26, 1914: City boosters choose new slogan, offer $50 in gold for song
Seems every time Edmonton needs a little boost, its business community, usually, comes up with a new slogan to rally the people.
Way before Edmonton’s slogan was the City of Champions, it was Gateway to the North, and way, way, way before that, it was City Beautiful.
That slogan was chosen 100 years ago at the regular luncheon of the Edmonton Industrial Association. The 300 members on hand discussed plans to clean the city and beautify vacant lots. City officials revealed what their various departments would contribute.
Ladies at the lunch formed an auxiliary to the association and named a committee of five to help the city’s boosters.
Association president William Magrath announced a prize of $50 in gold to anyone who could write a song boosting Edmonton, which would be sung at all the club’s luncheons and gatherings.
Dan Alton, superintendent of the city’s streets cleaning department, said all citizens needed to pitch in to keep streets, lanes and sidewalks clean. He added that the posting of unsightly handbills around town would not be tolerated.
The City Beautiful committee vowed to make Edmonton the most beautiful city in Canada, focusing on one of its greatest assets, the river valley.
In late 1928, the city’s slogan was All Together For Edmonton. It was chosen from 14,000 suggestions that included Resources for the Resourceful; the Sunshine City of Homes; Where Nature Favours Industry, and Make Greater Edmonton Greater.
If its people stand shoulder to shoulder in advancing its interests, nothing can hold it back, a Journal editorial said at the time.
When Blatchford Field (the now closed City Centre Airport), commenced operations in 1929, pioneering aviators used it as a major base for the distribution of mail, food and medicine to Northern Canada, and Edmonton’s slogan became Gateway to the North.
After the devastating tornado of July 31, 1987, in which 27 people were killed, mayor Laurence Decore cited the community’s heroic response as evidence that Edmonton was a “city of champions,” which later became the city’s official slogan.
It outlasted Edmonton Turning Up the Heat, the slogan launched by the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce in March 1994 to “bring this city back to greatness” after a few rough years.
Negative attitudes can create a recession, but being positive leads to new jobs, said chamber president Fred Windwick.
Economic Development Edmonton lau nched a $200,000, six-week campaign to tell the world Edmonton is a “hot place” to visit, live and do business. Every household received a postcard with the slogan Turning Up the Heat, which was supposed to be sent to friends, acquaintances and business contacts to help spread the word.
The City of Champions slogan has lost its punch after 27 years and the city is again looking for a new slogan to give it a boost. The latest rebranding effort is led by the city-funded booster group Make Something Edmonton.
Why not make a slogan?