The City of Lacombe has a new signature landmark in its downtown.
This week, city council and the Downtown Area Development Plan unveiled the new Heart of Lacombe sculpture, located at the southeast corner of Lest We Forget Park.
“It is a thrill to see the first of many DARP Priority Projects come to fruition,” said Mayor Grant Creasey.
“The new Heart of Lacombe will draw residents and visitors alike to Lacombe’s historic downtown, benefiting our businesses and community organizations located in the core. I look forward to the many projects the DARP Committee has in store for our community over the coming years.”
The Heart of Lacombe is the result of months of collaboration and planning work by the DARP Committee, the city said in a statement Wednesday.
The landmark is designed for social media and illuminates during darker periods for a distinctive look. The heart is designed to light up in recognizable colours on significant dates throughout the year.
“We wanted to create a unique piece that would grab the eye and camera lenses of everyone who comes through downtown,” said Joe Whitbread, DARP Committee chair.
“This signature landmark is the cornerstone of the branding for all upcoming DARP Priority Projects and creates an ongoing identity our citizens can be proud of.”
The landmark installation coincides with new wayfinding signs throughout the community which uses the new heart of downtown branding.
Businesses are invited to use the new branding to support their marketing efforts.
“This new branding can be accessed to use in your store windows, on merchandise or flyers. The more it is used, the more the new visual identity of Lacombe will grow,” Whitbread said.
These projects are funded through council’s commitment of $1.7 million for DARP Priority Projects. The projects were chosen by the DARP Committee, which worked with O2 Planning and Consulting + Design Administration to expand on the priorities identified by the public in a previously released survey.
The committee identified specific capital projects to undertake within the DARP boundary and prioritized those projects based on impact, available funding, and other factors.
More information on these projects can be found at www.lacombe.ca/DARP.