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Grande Prairie, Alberta (Canada)

Last modified: 2019-10-14 by rob raeside
Keywords: grande prairie | alberta | trumpeter swan | grain sheaf | trees | oil derricks | maple leaves |
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[Grande Prairie] 1:2 image by Eugene Ipavec
Source: Canadian City Flags, Raven 18

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Grande Prairie

Grande Prairie is a city in northwest Alberta, within the southern portion of Peace River Country. It is located at the intersection of Highway 43 and Highway 40, 456 km northwest of Edmonton. The city is surrounded by Grande Prairie County.

Current Flag

Text and image(s) from Canadian City Flags, Raven 18 (2011), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) by permission of Eugene Ipavec.

Design

The flag of the City of Grande Prairie has a medium blue field with a central charge nearly the full height of the flag. The charge is composed of a naturalistic image of a trumpeter swan seen from the side with its wings outspread in white, atop a sprig of wheat in yellow and black, in front of a row of naturally-shaped evergreen trees in green. Behind the swan and extending above it are two oil derricks in black. These are all surrounded by a ring of 24 yellow maple leaves, with gaps in the ring at the top and bottom. Curving below is a white ribbon with forked ends, inscribed CITY OF GRANDE PRAIRIE in fancy serif black letters.
Alison Wilkes, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Symbolism

Blue is one of the city’s official colours. The trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator) is Grande Prairie’s official symbol; its nickname is “Swan City” (the city is on the swans’ migration route and is the site of their summer nesting grounds). The wheat sprig represents the city’s heavy involvement with agriculture—the area is the northernmost major farming region in North America. The trees represent the forestry industry. The oil derricks symbolize the city’s thriving gas and oil industry. The maple leaves celebrate Alberta’s 75th anniversary; their number carries no meaning and merely completes the circle.
Alison Wilkes, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Selection

In 1980, the city held a flag-design contest to commemorate Alberta’s 75th anniversary. The design was to symbolize the Peace River Country, the large region in northwestern Alberta around Grande Prairie.
Alison Wilkes, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Designer

Mrs. Louise Lissoway..
Alison Wilkes, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011