Fort Collins gets silly new logo

In the Fort Collins' "2007 Report To The Community," mayor Doug Hutchinson and city attorney Darin Atteberry explain the city's perspective on how they are trying to present Fort Collins to both residents, businesses, visitors, and outsiders:

The community vision boils down to fostering and sustaining a high quality of life, which means balancing the needs of our environment, our community, and our economy. This careful balance is what makes Fort Collins unique. That was confirmed in our recently-completed community branding study. We’re green and pro-business, hi-tech and agriculture, families and college students. We value arts and culture as much as we value the outdoors. As our new tagline states, in Fort Collins, Renewal is a Way of Life.

It doesn't really say anything terribly meaningful, and it's basically just inclusionary, populist hyperbole, but at least it won't alienate those who bring tax money my fair city.

And the result of that $80,000 community branding study?

Supposedly, the brown squiggle represents our mountains and the blue on is the Poudre river.

It is supposed to be all "modern" and "fresh," but I think it's kind of silly. First of all, the mountains can't actually be seen from the majority of town because of the hogbacks just west of the city. (Although, some may consider those to be mountains, depending on where you're from, I guess.) And the Poudre river? The only time most people see it is if they drive north of touristy Old Town to go bowling, get their oil changed, or play bingo or if they go west of town to do some semi-legal tubing. There is a bike trail that runs along the river as it crosses the North end of town, but the vast majority of people live a ways south of there.

Now, the old logo, which has apparently been in use for 30 years, is by no means perfect, but at least it relies on some recognizable features of the city: Horsetooth Rock just west of town; and the Canadian Geese that crap all over the sidewalks.

Oh well, I guess 30 years is a long time for one logo, and $80,000 isn't that much money, but I am still partial to the old one that I have seen my entire life. I guess I may just be nostalgic.