Rebranding a storied history in RM

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This article was published 30/08/2011 (5379 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A mythical bird is poised to swoop in to become Headingley’s new municipal sym­bol.

The Headingley Historical Society recently proposed to councillors in the RM that the phoenix should be adopted as the municipality’s official symbol.

“So many towns in the province have a statue or symbol and Headingley doesn’t have one,” said society president Jean Ammeter. “So we submitted the idea to them and now I guess they have to decide.”

Ammeter said that the phoenix is a particularly meaningful symbol to the people of Headingley.

“Phoenix has been a name in Headingley for about 100 years. When the first Phoenix School was built, it was named that because the school before that had burnt down,” she said.

“So the citizens of Headingley thought it was appropriate because the new school was rising from the ashes of the old.”

Reeve Wilf Taillieu said the society’s suggestion will be carefully considered.

“The phoenix bird has been around in Headingley forever, ever since the school took on its name,” he said.

“The phoenix bird is also appropriate for the municipality since Headingley did kind of rise out of the ashes when we seceded from Winnipeg. Headingley was quite a mess under the City of Winnipeg, but it has now become a pretty affluent place.”

Taillieu added that he personally supports adopting the phoenix as the municipality’s symbol because “Headingley’s history is like a phoenix.”

If council approves the society’s request, the phoenix could be adopted in time for next year’s 20th anniversary celebration of Headingley’s secession from Winnipeg.

A committee is currently reviewing the society’s proposal. Taillieu said he doesn’t expect the committee to make a recommendation until at least next spring.

The committee includes representatives from the Headingley Historical Society, the Headingley Seniors Group and the Headingley Chamber of Commerce.

Council would have to approve any suggestion from the committee before it could be officially adopted.