Armorial Bearings of

the Town of Lacombe

 

The Town of Lacombe was granted an official Coat of Arms and other armorial bearings by Mr. Robert Watt, Chief Herald of Canada, in 2003. Following an unveiling ceremony held on July 12, 2004, the Town is now authorized to use these bearings to symbolize and represent our municipality.

The armorial bearings, whose official colours are gold, red and azure (blue), consist of five distinct elements:

• Arms
• Crest
• Motto
• Flag
• Badge

Implementation

Coat of Arms:  The Coat of Arms consists of the crest, shield, and motto. A wordmark with words "Town of Lacombe" may also be used in conjunction with the Coat of Arms.

 

The Coat of Arms will gradually replace the Bluebird Head on all of the Town's communication materials, including advertising, signage, stationery and forms, publications, promotional materials, pins, web sites, videos, branded clothing, vehicle identification, etc. This changeover will be completed by the December, 2005.

Flag:  The flag will be displayed in company of the Canadian and Provincial flags on the exterior of major Town facilities, including:

• Town Office
• Lacombe Sports & Leisure Complex
• Lacombe Emergency Services Centre (police station and fire hall)
• Council Chambers

The flag will be presented as gifts to the Town's official twin municipalities, Rikubetsu, Japan and Lacombe, Louisiana, USA.

It will also be presented to the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, of which the Town is a member, for display at the Association's convention.

Printable Coat of Arms history

Children's Cost of Arms coloring sheet

Symbolism of the Armorial Bearings

Arms
The background of the shield is gold, and in the centre (and extending to the sides, top and bottom) is a wide red cross on which is a narrower gold cross.

In the upper left corner is a Mountain Bluebird in flight; in the lower left is a gold cross, edged in blue, with fleur-de-lis ends and a red inner cross; in the upper right is an open book with white pages bound in blue; in the lower right is a pair of interlaced diagonal blue crosses.

• The gold background symbolizes the community's wealth, the nearby grain fields and agricultural research.

• The red cross represents Lacombe's situation as a crossroads of Highway 2 and Highway 12, while the inner cross recalls the missionary work of Father Albert Lacombe (1827-1916), the town's namesake.

• The bluebird is one of Lacombe's most important chosen emblems.

• The cross with fleur-de-lis ends repeats the symbolism of the main cross, with the fleur-de-lis a reference to Father Lacombe and to a symbol found in the arms of the Rt. Hon. Roland Michener, a native son of Lacombe whose birthplace is an important heritage site.

• The open book represents the Canadian University College and the agricultural research centres in Lacombe, as well as the Town's commitment to education, research and technology.

• The diagonal crosses are the central element of the personal coat of arms of Roland Michener, a reference to the fact that he was Canada's 20th Governor General.

Crest
The crest, which is placed on a wreath of twisted cloth in red and gold, is a gold coronet made of wheat spikes. On the circlet of the coronet is a frieze of flames of gas in dark and sky blue.

• The ears of wheat represent the local agricultural economy and work at the Lacombe Research Centre.

• The flames refer to the oil and gas industries.
  
  

 

Motto

"People, Pride, Progress"

  
This phrase was suggested by the Town of Lacombe.

Flag
The shield has been arranged in a rectangular format to accommodate the design of a flag.

Badge
This features the Mountain Bluebird in flight with the gold cross placed upon it. The symbolism links Lacombe's emblem with the idea of a crossroads.

The designs of the armorial bearings are an original concept of Robert D. Watt, Chief Herald of Canada, assisted by the Heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority. For more information on the Canadian Heraldic Authority, click here.

Artist:  Ilona Jurkiewicz
Calligrapher:  Karen MacKay

 

TO ALL TO WHOM These Presents shall come or whom the same may in any way Concern 

GREETING By Robert Douglas Watt, Chief Herald of Canada; 

WHEREAS a request that armorial bearings be granted has Been received; 

AND WHEREAS a Warrant has been issued by the Deputy Herald Chancellor authorizing this action; 

NOW KNOW YOU that pursuant to the authority vested in Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, to exercise the armorial prerogative of Her Majesty The Queen of Canada, and the terms of my Commission of Office, I, the Chief Herald of Canada, do by these Presents grant and assign to THE TOWN OF LACOMBE, Alberta, established as a Village under the provisions of the Village Ordinance of the North--West Territories in 1896 and Incorporated as a Town by Royal Proclamation on the 10th Day of May 1902, the following arms:

Or a cross Gules voided throughout of the field between in the first quarter a Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currocoides) Volant bendwise Azure, in the second an open book argent bound Azure, in the third a cross flory Azure voided of the Field and charged with a cross couped Gules and in the fourth two Bendlets and two Bendlets sinister interlaced Azure;

And upon a wreath Or and Gules, this Crest: A coronet of Wheat spikes, the rim Or charged with a frieze of flames Azure;

And for a Motto: PEOPLE , PRIDE, PROGRESS; 

And for a Flag: A banner of the Arms; 

And for a Badge: On a Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currocoides) Volant Azure a cross Flory or; 

AS THE SAME are more plainly here depicted and entered in Volume IV, page 284 of the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada to be borne and used for ever Hereafter by THE TOWN OF LACOMBE, all according to The Law of Arms of Canada; 

GIVEN under my hand and the seal of the Canadian Heraldic Authority at Rideau Hall in the City of Ottawa this fifteenth Day of May in the year Two Thousand and Three. 

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF Barbara Uteck, Herald Chancellor, and Lieutenant--General James Cyrille Gervais, Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Deputy Herald Chancellor, have witnessed this action with their signatures.