Flag of Provo, Utah

Provo, Utah
Flag of Provo, Utah
Use Civil flag
Proportion 3:5
Adopted January 6, 2015
Design Blue background with the Provo City logo in the center

The flag of Provo, Utah, is the official flag of the city of Provo, Utah, United States. The present flag, featuring the city's seal on a light blue field, was adopted on January 6, 2015, after a multi-year debate to replace a previous one. The replaced flag, adopted in 1985, was ridiculed in particular for its 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 seal at the center.[1] The city's seal, adopted in 2012, includes representations of Utah Lake, nearby mountain peaks, and a rising sun for Provo's goals and aspirations.[2]

History

1965 flag

The first flag of Provo was adopted in 1965, and consisted of a red and blue field with a stylized "P" (standing for "Provo") in the center.[3]

1985 flag

The former flag of Provo, Utah, from 1985 to 2015

The second flag of Provo was adopted in 1985, after it was introduced by then-mayor Joe Jenkins based on a design by Stephen Hales. 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.[4][5] The rainbow represented the "eclectic and diverse nature" of Provo according to the city government.[6]

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),[7] with a score of 2.14 out of 10 points.[8][9] 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.[7][8] A follow-up survey in 2013 placed the flag in the same position, 143rd out of 150th; the flag was known to be "notoriously bad among flag enthusiasts".[6]

The flag's design has been compared to the label on Centrum vitamin bottles,[10][11] and to a work drawn in magic marker and crayons.[12]

Adoption of current flag

Mayor John Curtis began a public process to replace the flag in 2013, in response to the second NAVA survey, consulting with local vexillologists and residents for ideas.[13] 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.[6][14] 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.[15]

A total of 51 proposals[16] were submitted and added to an online poll in July.[17] Two finalist designs were presented to the Provo City Council in September, featuring a stylized mountain against a white or blue field.[18] 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][19]

References

  1. ↑ "Provo City Code 1.05.010. Authorization for and Description of Flag". City of Provo. 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2017 – via Code Publishing.
  2. ↑ Pugmire, Genelle (August 2, 2012). "Provo set to launch rebranding with day of service". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Pugmire, Genelle (January 6, 2015). "Celebrate: Provo has an official city flag". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Provo City Code Title 1. General Provisions" (PDF). City of Provo. October 9, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2005. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  5. ↑ Purcell, John M.; Croft, James A.; Monahan, Rich (2003). American City Flags: 150 Flags from Akron to Yonkers. Trenton, New Jersey: North American Vexillological Association. pp. 283–284. ISBN 978-0-9747728-0-6. OCLC 54961835.
  6. 1 2 3 Pugmire, Genelle (May 27, 2014). "Provo's 'flag flop' now in residents' hands". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Provo Flag Ranked Eighth Worst in U.S." KSL.com. Associated Press. October 8, 2004. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  8. 1 2 Kaye, Edward B. (2005). "The American City Flag Survey of 2004" (PDF). Raven: A Journal of Vexillology. North American Vexillological Association. 12: 36. doi:10.5840/raven2005122. OCLC 300992732. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  9. ↑ Eddington, Mark (October 9, 2004). "Provo's city pennant a flop with flag lovers". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  10. ↑ Walker, Alissa (September 2, 2015). "Are These The Ugliest City Flags on Earth?". Gizmodo. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  11. ↑ Burchett, Sarah (January 17, 2015). "Best and worst of city flags across America". The Universe. Provo, Utah. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  12. ↑ "City flag designs just don't fly". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. Associated Press. October 12, 2004. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  13. ↑ Pugmire, Genelle (March 28, 2013). "Provo seeking ideas on new city flag". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  14. ↑ Penrod, Sam (May 22, 2014). "Provo residents asked to help design new city flag". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  15. ↑ Penrod, Sam (May 20, 2014). "Provo polls residents for new city flag". KSL.com. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  16. ↑ Crofts, Natalie (July 1, 2014). "Provo asks for help after 'flag flop'". KSL.com. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Provo residents get more choices in new city flag". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. July 6, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  18. ↑ Pugmire, Genelle (September 2, 2014). "Will Provo ever get a new city flag?". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Council to Vote on New Provo City Flag". Provo City Council. January 1, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
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