The city delved into the issue of branding once again this week, as they discussed the delegation from Tourism from last council meeting.
Deanne Stevens talked about the logo project during the public input period. She said it would be great if the city wants to work together on it, adding that the Library, the sustainability commission and various other Rossland institutions are onboard.
The mayor brought up that he thought the city should wait to get onboard, at least until the gateway project is closer to being ready, in six months or so.
Stevens countered that they were two different things and the logo would be implemented on a number of projects.
Once council got around to talking about the Tourism Rossland delegation that came last council, it became apparent that there wasn’t a clear picture of what they were being asked.
The mayor suggested that they defer it until the gateway project.
Wallace asked whether Tourism Rossland was looking to do a logo or an entire branding initiative.
“Branding is a big project,” she said “I think right now Rossland suffers from a multipersonality disorder.”
This, she said, because Rossland has to be the Golden City, the Mountain City, the home of Red Mountain Resort, the home of Redstone Golf Course. That makes it difficult to chose a brand, she argued.
“If it’s just the logo, that’s different,” she noted, adding that she wouldn’t be keen at dong a branding initiative at this point in time.
Moore reminded council that the signage for Rossland had been enthusiastically endorsed by the previous council.
“We are now a resort municipality,” Moore said. “I don’t see any reason why we should wait with going forward with the branding.”
The mayor noted that Tourism Rossland had not given any formal proposal and so asked Coun. Jody Blomme, who represents the city on the Tourism Rossland board, if there would be one coming.
Blomme was unsure, but said the proposal would help Rossland.
“From a marketing perspective, it does make a lot of sense,” she said, as they could all be on the market as a single brand.
She also said that Tourism Rossland has put a lot of time and effort into the project already, and so that would be wasted by the city if they didn’t act on it.
“So are we approving a logo?” the mayor asked.
Blomme responded that the Tourism Rossland request doesn’t have anything saying that they were asking for council to support anything.
Moore noted that the initiative also allowed for the brand to be used as needed, so even once implemented, the businesses could keep their old logos until they ran out and ordered new ones.
“For their purpose, it’s a little money in the long term,” Coun. Tim Thatcher said.
Coun. Cary Fisher suggested that they get Tourism Rossland to “quantify and clarify what they want.”
“It doesn’t sound like anybody understands where we’re going with this,” Fisher said.
Council voted down a motion to get Tourism Rossland to come back with clear answers, then put forward another motion that said the city supports the initiative and principal behind it.