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Gatineau, Quebec (Canada)

Ville de Gatineau

image by Marc Pasquin

Gatineau
Current Flag
- Design
- Symbolism
- Selection
- Designer
Former Flags
- Flag with Coat of Arms

See also:

Gatineau

The official website for Gatineau mentions that the new municipality (as of 2002) is composed of what were previously the following towns:

Ville d'Aylmer
Ville de Buckingham
Ville de Gatineau
Ville de Hull
Ville de Masson-Angers

Marc Pasquin, 16 March 2005

Current Flag

Text and image(s) from Canadian City Flags, Raven 18 (2011), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) by permission of Eugene Ipavec.

The Gatineau flag, adopted in 2002, has proportions of 1:2 and is white with a blue stripe at the hoist one-fourth of the length of the flag and curving inwards on its right side. In the centre is the city signature, the city logo (a stylized “G” in green, white, and blue with three waves forming an oval) over the inscription Ville de, in smaller font, over Gatineau, all in blue sans-serif letters. The reverse side of the flag shows a mirror image of the signature.
Luc Baronian, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

The colors are specified as Pantone system blue PMS 541 and green PMS 3415; in the CMYK system blue 100-50-0-40 and green 100-0-75-15; in the RGB system blue 00-33-66 and green 00-66-33.
Luc Baronian, 17 May 2005

Symbolism

Translated from city documentation:

The overall shape of the logo is meant to be a unifying symbol, formed of a stylized “G”, sweeping its territory in a single movement. The three wavy forms represent the rivers crossing the city from west to east and from north to south. The three waves and the two green ribbons between them recall the five municipalities that were merged in 2002 to create the new city: Aylmer, Buckingham, Gatineau, Hull, and Masson-Angers. Blue evokes pure air and water; green evokes nature, growth and security.

Luc Baronian, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Selection

Unknown.
Luc Baronian, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Designer

A commercial design firm designed the logo and the flag.
Luc Baronian, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Former Flags

Gatineau used at least three previous flags. One placed the previous city logo, with letters in blue and a stylized “G” in green, on a white field. Another centred the “G” alone on a white field. A third used the coat of arms on a white field.

image by Blas Delgado

image by Luc Baronian

The former flag of Gatineau on the website by Blas Delgado seems to be taken from Cyr and Harrington. It is not clear whether Cyr and Harrington depicts a previous or erroneous version. I have personally never seen it, though I have seen the green logo on white (without lettering) several times until the 2002 merger. The G, with its strong extremities reflects the vast territory of the city on which its population lives and represents the trust developed by the city to promote the community and the region. The dark green color underscores the serious character of the institution towards a greater notoriety and international recognition. Marine blue used on the city signature reinforces the particular character of the municipality's personality.

Reference: Cyr, Jacques and Kevin Harrington. 1993. Flags in the Ottawa Valley in [fsc] 30, Summer 1993.
Luc Baronian, 17 May 2005

Flag with Coat of Arms

1:2 image by Eugene Ipavec
Source: Canadian City Flags, Raven 18