Flag of Provo, Utah explained

Provo, Utah
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Proportion:3:5
Adoption:January 6, 2015
Design:Blue background with the Provo City logo in the center

The municipal flag of Provo, Utah, United States, features the city's logo on a light blue field. It was adopted on January 6, 2015, after a multi-year debate to replace the previous one. The former flag, adopted in 1989, was ridiculed in particular for its perceived ugliness and its similarity to the Centrum logo, and was voted one of the worst American city flags by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA).

Design

The current city flag of Provo, Utah, is described in section 1.05.010 of the municipal code as consisting of a light blue field and the city's logo at the center.[1] The city's logo, adopted in 2012, includes representations of Utah Lake, nearby mountain peaks, and a rising sun for Provo's goals and aspirations.[2]

History

First flag

The first flag of Provo was unveiled on April 7, 1976, and consisted of a red and blue field with a stylized "P" (standing for "Provo") in the center.[3] It was designed by Michael Jorgensen, a Brigham Young University industrial design student, as part of a contest run by the Utah Lake Lions Club to commemorate the city's participation in the national bicentennial.[4]

Second flag

The second flag of Provo was adopted on April 25, 1989, after it was introduced by then-mayor Joseph Jenkins based on a design by Steven Hales using the city logo.[5] [6] The flag consisted of a pure white field, with the word "Provo" in black lettering with gray shadows on a rainbow bar running diagonally towards the center.[7] [8] The rainbow represented the "eclectic and diverse nature" of Provo according to the city government.[9] [10]

In a 2004 survey of city flags in the United States by members of the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA), the Provo flag ranked 143rd out of 150 overall (or 8th worst),[11] with a score of 2.14 out of 10 points.[12] [13] The poll was contested between 150 American cities via an online poll; the flag of Washington, D.C. ranked first, while the flag of Pocatello, Idaho, ranked last.[11] [12] Newspaper references to the survey said the flag was known to be "notoriously bad among flag enthusiasts".[9]

The flag's design has been compared to the label on Centrum vitamin bottles,[14] [15] and to a work drawn in magic marker and crayons.[16]

Third flag

Mayor John Curtis began a public process to replace the second flag in 2013, in response to repeated references to the NAVA survey, consulting with local vexillologists and residents for ideas.[17] In May 2014, the flag replacement process was narrowed to two options by a three-member committee, both consisting of simple renditions of Utah Lake and nearby mountains, with one option having three stars to represent life in Provo. The designs were not well received by residents, leading Mayor Curtis to propose a public design contest to end in early June.[9] [18] A consensus was reached by residents to not use the color red in the new flag, as it is used by the University of Utah, a rival to Provo's Brigham Young University.[19]

A total of 51 proposals were submitted and added to an online poll in July.[20] [21] Two finalist designs were presented to the Provo City Council in September, featuring a stylized mountain against a white or blue field.[22] On January 6, 2015, the Provo City Council unanimously selected the city's new flag, a new design that incorporated the city's new logo (adopted in 2012).[3] [23]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2015 . Provo City Code 1.05.010. Authorization for and Description of Flag. . City of Provo . Code Publishing . February 4, 2017.
  2. News: Pugmire . Genelle . August 2, 2012 . Provo set to launch rebranding with day of service . . Provo, Utah . May 27, 2017 . May 27, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170527174510/http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/provo-set-to-launch-rebranding-with-day-of-service/article_f728f615-a722-5abb-b64b-6afd314e6e5a.html . dead .
  3. News: Pugmire . Genelle . January 6, 2015 . Celebrate: Provo has an official city flag . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . February 4, 2017 . February 4, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170204085137/http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/celebrate-provo-has-an-official-city-flag/article_19a5dbaa-75e4-508d-a0fe-a30a802591bf.html . dead .
  4. News: April 7, 1976 . Provo Marks 127th Birthday; Winning Flag Design Unveiled . 1 . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . . February 3, 2020.
  5. News: April 28, 1989 . Provo will be flying new city flag . B2 . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . Newspapers.com . February 3, 2020.
  6. News: May 4, 1989 . Legal Notices: Ordinance No. 0-89-032 . E7 . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . Newspapers.com . February 3, 2020.
  7. Web site: October 9, 2004 . Provo City Code Title 1. General Provisions . City of Provo . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050521124046/http://provo.org/files/council/code_book/t01.pdf . May 21, 2005 . February 4, 2017 .
  8. Book: Purcell . John M. . Croft . James A. . Monahan . Rich . 2003 . American City Flags: 150 Flags from Akron to Yonkers. . American City Flags . 283–284 . . Trenton, New Jersey . 54961835 . 978-0-9747728-0-6.
  9. News: Pugmire . Genelle . May 27, 2014 . Provo's 'flag flop' now in residents' hands . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . February 4, 2017 . May 7, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170507193127/http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/provo-s-flag-flop-now-in-residents-hands/article_bbaf8ec5-414d-507c-8efb-5bf5b930eb5a.html . dead .
  10. News: Fellow . Jill . October 8, 2004 . Survey ranks Provo's flag among ugliest in nation . A1 . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . February 3, 2020 . February 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200204034523/https://www.heraldextra.com/news/provo-ugly-flagasdf-asdf-a-sdf-a-ksdhfasdf/article_744032fe-b2e8-5ab6-b5aa-2d900bf77cd9.html . dead .
  11. News: October 8, 2004 . Provo Flag Ranked Eighth Worst in U.S. . . . February 4, 2017.
  12. Kaye . Edward B. . 2005 . The American City Flag Survey of 2004 . 36 . Raven: A Journal of Vexillology . 12 . 300992732 . 10.5840/raven2005122 . North American Vexillological Association . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160906010339/http://nava.org/digital-library/raven/NAVA_Raven_v12_2005_p027-062.pdf . September 6, 2016 . February 4, 2017.
  13. News: Eddington . Mark . October 9, 2004 . Provo's city pennant a flop with flag lovers . . February 4, 2017.
  14. News: Walker . Alissa . September 2, 2015 . Are These The Ugliest City Flags on Earth? . . February 4, 2017.
  15. News: Burchett . Sarah . January 17, 2015 . Best and worst of city flags across America . . Provo, Utah . February 4, 2017.
  16. News: October 12, 2004 . City flag designs just don't fly . Associated Press . . Salt Lake City . February 4, 2017.
  17. News: Pugmire . Genelle . March 28, 2013 . Provo seeking ideas on new city flag . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . February 4, 2017 . February 4, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210204190744/https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/provo-seeking-ideas-on-new-city-flag/article_d7074943-efb5-55bb-a9a5-99fc871be235.html . dead .
  18. News: Penrod . Sam . May 22, 2014 . Provo residents asked to help design new city flag . Deseret News . Salt Lake City . February 4, 2017.
  19. News: Penrod . Sam . May 20, 2014 . Provo polls residents for new city flag . KSL.com . February 4, 2017.
  20. News: Crofts . Natalie . July 1, 2014 . Provo asks for help after 'flag flop' . KSL.com . May 25, 2017.
  21. News: July 6, 2014 . Provo residents get more choices in new city flag . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . February 4, 2017 . November 9, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141109221518/http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/provo-residents-get-more-choices-in-new-city-flag/article_ec714682-1087-5e7e-b613-a33fb0033684.html . dead .
  22. News: Pugmire . Genelle . September 2, 2014 . Will Provo ever get a new city flag? . The Daily Herald . Provo, Utah . February 4, 2017 . December 18, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151218005848/http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/will-provo-ever-get-a-new-city-flag/article_d83ad7cf-229c-53eb-a214-07d5fe342452.html . dead .
  23. Web site: January 1, 2015 . Council to Vote on New Provo City Flag . Provo City Council . February 4, 2017.

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