Napier City Council's flag design based on the city's coat of arms. Photos / Napier City Council
Napier City Council's flag design based on the city's coat of arms. Photos / Napier City Council
Napier City Councillors have voted to change the city's flag, but have also noted the potential for some informal designs for the community to get behind.
The proposal was talked about at yesterday's council meeting.
Mayor Kirsten Wise opened the discussion, saying it was an opportunity to address a legacy issue and get the community more involved and be able to display the flag.
The motion passed but some councillors gave the potential option of having a somewhat informal flag for people which might relate better and show some civic pride.
Councillor Api Tapine said it was the right move to formalise a city flag that incorporated the city's Coat of Arms but said there needed to be a conversation around a possible informal option of symbols and emblems that people could better relate to.
"I, for one, would love a flag and love a bumper sticker that I can ascribe to that generates pride in my city and my region."
Behind the strict rules of its design, the flag has to incorporate features of the Coat of Arms of Napier City.
Napier City's current flag is unusual in that it contains the full Coat of Arms of Napier. Photo / Napier City Council
Napier residents are currently unable to display the Napier flag due to its inclusion of the entire Coat of Arms, which at the moment can be displayed only during official Napier City events and by its governing entity Napier City Council.
The proposed flag, known as a heraldic flag, has been designed to incorporate the shield of the Coat of Arms with elements such as the roses, waves and "golden fleece".
The three red roses are taken from the coat of arms of Lord Napier and Ettrick, a direct descendant of Sir Charles Napier, after whom Napier was named.
The wavy, undulating blue bands on the shield are the accepted heraldic symbols for coastal towns and denote tourist resorts and ports.
The Golden Fleece is the heraldic symbol of the wool industry, of which Napier is one of the largest centres in New Zealand.
Councillor Tania Wright said it was a "wonderful opportunity to have a symbol of civic pride" and hoped that the new flag was used significantly enough that it helped generate a sense of pride in Napier.
Further investigations will be carried on into the final design of the flag along with making it affordable so many of Napier's residents can display it.
