When the time comes to slap a slogan on Winnipeg's new welcome signs, an overwhelming majority of Free Press readers have told us we gotta have heart.
"Heart of the Continent" beat out four other city slogans proposed by Winnipeg Free Press readers which were part of a public (and admittedly unscientific) vote over the past week.
Originally in use a century ago and then popularized by former TV weatherman Ed Russenholt, Heart of the Continent was the preferred choice of 6,006 out of the 9,523 readers who chose to vote online or send the newspaper hand-written letters.
Heart of the Continent was the runaway winner for at least six reasons identified by readers.
For starters, it's geographically accurate, as Winnipeg is the largest urban centre near the centre of North America, which is actually somewhere outside tiny Balta, N.D.
Other readers liked the fact the word "heart" is part of the phrase, which makes this slogan sound warmer and more human than the No. 2 entry, Centre of it All.
A handful of readers liked the fact the French translation of Heart of the Continent is the snappy and concise "Coeur de Continent."
Many more like the fact the phrase has been in use for a long time, as dozens of long-time Winnipeg residents readers wrote in to relate fond memories of Russenholt, who signed off with the phrase.
A couple of readers pointed out Heart of the Continent is already a semi-official slogan, as it appears in several places on the City of Winnipeg website.
But most of all, readers consider the phrase classy and gimmick-free.
"Heart of the Continent makes Winnipeg sound majestic," writes reader Joan Mattson, who actually prefers the One Great City slogan which will disappear when 10 welcome signs at entrances to the city are replaced this summer.
Destination Winnipeg, the city's arm's-length marketing agency, is contracting out that job and has been instructed to spend less than $50,000 on the entire project. The existing sign infrastructure will be reused, Mayor Sam Katz has said.
The mayor's office will actually choose the slogan, based on the results of a similar contest that closes today. Heart of the Continent is also one of five entries in the mayor's contest, which also allows citizens to vote for no slogan at all on the new welcome signs.
"We've had an overwhelming response via e-mail and a surprising amount of hand-written entries, too," said Brad Salyn, the mayor's communications director. "What's even more surprising is the amount of detail and passion people have include along with their entries."
Both the mayor's office and the Free Press also received unsolicited designs for the signs, but that job will not put to a public contest.
The existing blue-and-gold welcome signs were erected in 1990, the last time the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup. The One Great City slogan referred to the amalgamation of Winnipeg with 12 of its suburbs back in 1972.
bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca
PREVIOUS
