Cedar Park Seeks Submissions For Official City Flag Design

CEDAR PARK, TX -- It's hard to raise one's flag when one doesn't have one.

But now, city officials are aiming to fix that with a call for entries for designs of an official City of Cedar Park flag.

A website has been created through which people can submit their entries and learn more. People also can deliver their submissions via hard copy.

Submissions will be accepted through April 30. City Council members will pick a final design or elements from several renderings and unveil the finished product at a future community event.

Mayor Matt Powell said he was inspired to propose the idea by the TED Talks video entitled, Why city flags may be the Worst Designed thing you’ve never noticed.

“I brought this to the Council at the retreat [in January]," he said. "I think it’s really fascinating, and the council kind of got into it a little bit.”

In the TED Talks video, host Roman Mars discusses five flag design principles established by the North American Vexillogical Association. The same tips yield a helpful primer to local would-be flag designers.

• Keep it simple, so that even a child can draw it.
• Use meaningful symbolism. The Chicago flag, for example, consists of two blue stripes which symbolize the two bodies of water, along with four stars to symbolize meaningful historical events that include the Great Chicago Fire.
• Use two to three colors tops.
• Don't use letters, words or seals.
• Be distinctive.

Mayor Powell recommends participants look at www.cedarparkhistory.com for ideas and inspiration drawn from Cedar Park’s history and geographical features. Two council members sent him flag design ideas that turned out to be remarkably similar one another, the mayor noted.

“So it seems that there’s been some interest and some creativity already,”he said.

Mayor Pro Tem Corbin Van Arsdale said creating a flag for the community would represent a lasting contribution.

“Your flag lasts forever and if you do it right I do think that we would be a leader in this state.," he said. "And if we come up with a flag that is a symbol, and symbols are what people remember, I think this could spread to other cities in the state."

Mayor Powell agreed: “I would love to perhaps become the first to go and start a wave with other cities. I’m excited about the possibilities.”