
Last modified: 2026-01-10 by rick wyatt
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image located to Rob Raeside, 2 December 2025
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Reported in the Vexilloid Tabloid #115 from the Portland Flag Association,
forwarded by Ted Kaye is a new flag for Vancouver, Washington:
Portland’s
neighbor to the north (across the Columbia River), the 4th-largest city in
Washington state, calls itself "America's Vancouver". It replaced its 1993 flag
last month. The flag-adoption effort, driven by Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle,
received strong staff support from Laura Shepard, the city's director of
communications, and her team. They invited me [Ted Kaye] to provide process
advice, brief and guide the Flag Selection Committee, record two podcasts, and
bring in NAVA members to help develop and polish finalist designs.
The city council unanimously voted to adopt the new flag after the
community-led committee presented its recommendation on 10 November. The formal
flag-raising was 28 November (Alex Zimmerman and I attended). "This flag is the
result of thoughtful collaboration and creative input from across our
community," said Rose Mendoza, chair of the Flag Selection Committee. "Every
element in the design reflects something meaningful about Vancouver, and it is a
symbol we can all be proud of now and into the future."
"Our new flag is a
powerful reflection of who we are as a city," said the mayor (who served on the
committee). "It represents our natural surroundings, the iconic places that
define Vancouver, and the creativity that makes our community special. This flag
truly tells the story of a community on the rise."
Field of
green: Green symbolizes Vancouver's natural environment. forests.
parks. and commitment to sustainability.
Emblem: The emblem
draws Inspiration from Iconic Vancouver landmarks (Fort, Bell Tower. Grant
Street Pier). It Is a nod to the past and a symbol of forward progress.
White chevron: The white chevron Is a strong V for Vancouver, a
connection between the land and the water, and a path forward.
Field
of blue: Blue represents the Columbia River and the community's deep
connection to the river that has shaped its culture. economy. and sense of
place.
Ted Kaye, 2 December 2025
The white V-line between the top green and bottom blue fairly resembles the wandering Columbia River that divides Washington State (top) and Oregon State (bottom). While it is not stated in the Vancouver press release, I would not be surprised if the flag designer used the green shown at the top of this new flag to allude to the green-field flag of Washington State and the blue shown at the bottom to the blue-field flag of Oregon State – what a coincidence!
Regarding the white V-line/river, Vancouver
(Washington) is situated at the bottom of the green trough while the bottom of
the white V points to the city of Portland (Oregon) just southwest across the
river. While the distance between these two cities is about 4.5 miles, the width
of the river between their banks is barely half a mile.
William Garrison,
2 December 2025
image sent to Masao Okazaki, 3 April 2025
"Vancouver, Washington is a city on the north shore of the Columbia River, in the state of Washington, USA. It is the county seat of Clark County. As of July 1, 2005 it had a population of 157,493, many of whom commute to neighboring Portland, Oregon. It is part of the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area."
Source: Wikipedia, which also shows the city flag: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver,_Washington
Valentin Poposki, 28 February 2007
Several images of the flag of Vancouver WA:
cdn2-.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/4e/22/4e22fc33d564155b8814c375141adf8d.JPG?itok=8RvejYPN
media.oregonlive.com/clark_county/photo/10004336-large.jpg
kptv.images.worldnow.com/images/18766475_BG1.jpg
bikeportland.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/vancouver-city-council-passes-helmet-law-1.jpg
On a white sky above a blue sea, with a green horizon between, a golden setting sun and a white bird rising.
Dave Fowler, 6 July 2014
I've been emailed a large photo of the flag by Communications Director Laura Shepard.
Masao Okazaki, 3 April 2025