GILROY
– It took 133 years to come to fruition, but a long-awaited city
flag for Garlic Town, which incorporated in 1870, is ready to be
raised.
GILROY – It took 133 years to come to fruition, but a long-awaited city flag for Garlic Town, which incorporated in 1870, is ready to be raised.
The navy blue and white flag was unveiled during Monday night’s City Council meeting in the Council chambers. The seal-bearing pennant remains on display behind the speaker’s podium.
“In the grand scope of things, it’s a nice tool to have for the city,” City Administrator Jay Baksa said. “It’s a public relations tool for the community.”
One of the first chances for Gilroyans to get a glimpse of their new city flag will be at the 25th Annual Gilroy Garlic Festival July 25 to 27. It will be presented during opening ceremonies Friday.
The production of the flag was sponsored by the Exchange Club of Gilroy which donated $1,000 to the project. The club focuses on youth, Americanism and community service.
The funding enabled five flags to be produced. Three will be flown or hung around town and two more will be used by the city for ceremonies.
A contest was kicked off in February to land a flag design for the city, but did not produce any solid contenders. All but three of 15 designs submitted to the city failed to meet application requirements.
Flag designs were supposed to depict the city’s cultural heritage, be tasteful and creative and use all or part of the current City of Gilroy’s symbols. The designs also had to meet certain size and color requirements.
In May, City Council decided to end the competition and approved a flag that bears the city’s seal. The seal depicts a steam locomotive running past a landscape that includes a tree and a building with a smoking chimney. The words “City of Gilroy, Incorporated March 12, 1870” surround the picture in an outer circle.
