‘City of Champions’ slogan swiftly removed from entrance signs
The City of Champions is now just a city after Edmonton’s long-standing logo was stripped Friday from six highway entrance signs.
The move, expected by the end of summer, came three days after city councillors voted to remove what was seen as a dated tag line.
“We wanted to ensure we were proactive in taking them down so the city could retain them,” said Adam Laughlin, manager of the facility and landscape infrastructure branch.
Officials were concerned that if they didn’t act fast, the laser-cut wooden boards might disappear, he said.
“Part of what we would like to come back with is either a recommendation or some discussion about what we would do with those boards we have salvaged.”
Coun. Bryan Anderson said there have been numerous requests for the signs since council decided to get rid of them.
That includes a police officer who wants one to display with other city memorabilia in a police mess, he said.
Anderson isn’t surprised the items were dismantled so quickly.
“There are a few people in our city who would, under cover of darkness, knowing that they are deemed unnecessary in their current location, find a way to pilfer them.”
Anderson was one of five councillors who voted to retain the slogan, saying it should have been left until the city decides how to revamp the entrance signs.
“Do I see any real need to take it down now? No. Now that it’s done, does it offend me? No.”
The logos sat on concrete bases by entrance signs in the west end on Highway 16 and Highway 16A, and near Edmonton’s east boundary on Baseline Road, Sherwood Park Freeway and Whitemud Drive.
A sixth was located in the northeast on Manning Drive.
The work cost less than $2,000, Laughlin said.
The slogan, which was attached with bolts and glue, was earlier stolen from the southern border on Gateway Boulevard.
It was removed from St. Albert Trail and 97th Street in the north for Anthony Henday Drive construction.
All identification was pulled off the eastern entrance sign on Highway 16 last year to avoid damaging it during Henday construction, Laughlin said.
The City of Champions slogan began in the 1980s, mainly to celebrate sports teams and the response to the 1987 tornado.
It’s no longer used in any city marketing.
Councillors will look at whether to replace all the entrance signs and what designs or wording they should contain. gkent@edmontonjournal.com