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Chilliwack, British Columbia (Canada)

Fraser Valley Regional District

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

Chilliwack
Current Flag
- Design
- Symbolism
- Selection
- Designer
- Blazon
Former Flag

See also:

Chilliwack

The original Township (or District) of Chilliwhack was incorporated in 1873, and the (first) City of Chilliwack in 1908. In 1980, these two formed the District of Chilliwack, which was granted the status of city in 1999. Chilliwhack and Chilliwack were both part of the original Fraser-Cheam Regional District in 1967, and the new District joined the Fraser Valley Regional District when the RD's were reorganized in 1995.
Dean McGee, 10 September 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.

Design

The flag of the City of Chilliwack has a green field with a white Scandinavian cross; the width of its bars is nearly one-fourth the height of the flag. Surmounting the intersection of the bars is a white disc, bearing a green circle enclosing four green Valentine-style hearts joined at their bases.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Symbolism

Chilliwack, long known as “The Green Heart of British Columbia”, is in the “heart” of the fertile Fraser Valley. To represent this slogan the Canadian Heraldic Authority created a new symbol in Canadian heraldry. It conjoins four green hearts facing the four cardinal directions, signifying the directions of the community, and framed within a green circle to reflect that Chilliwack is at the “heart of things”. The city is also known as the “crossroads” of the Upper Fraser Valley, represented by the bars of the Scandinavian cross. The heart symbol and cross form the shield of the city’s coat of arms.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Selection

The city applied to the Canadian Heraldic Authority for a grant of a flag. Adopted 15 October 1993.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Designer

Robert D. Watt, Chief Herald of Canada, Canadian Heraldic Authority.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Coat of Arms

Shield of Arms
The core of the design is a new symbol in Canadian heraldry developed from the idea of "The Green Heart of British Columbia". The heart is shown four times, oriented to the four cardinal directions representing all the directions in the community. The hearts are framed in a green circle to underline the idea of Chilliwack being at the heart of things. The hearts are placed at the centre of two paths, giving rise to the second theme, Chilliwack as the crossroads of the Upper Fraser Valley.

Crest (above the Shield)
The helmet and mantling, the decorative cloth in the City's colours of green and white (heraldic silver) are the two traditional components of this and most coats of arms. Today they can symbolize, in the same spirit as the knight defending his lands, the determination of citizens to safeguard and strengthen their community. Above the helmet and mantling is a special emblem, the mural coronet, often used in heraldry to represent municipal government. It carries a frieze of maple leaves and dogwoods to represent a Canadian municipality in British Columbia.

Supporters & Compartment
The compartment on which the shield rests and the supporters stand represents symbolically, the farmlands, forested land and waters of the municipality. The First Peoples of the community are honoured through the golden salmon, rendered in Salish style. Agricultural pioneers and the agricultural industry are also highlighted through the two silver plows. The supporter on the left side is a stag representing the rich wildlife to the City. On the right is a mare, symbol of the horsepower which was the motive force for all of Chilliwack's early agricultural development and other types of early transport and industry as well. Each supporter has a distinctive collar and pendant. The pentagon symbolizes the "five corners" of the original settlement while the corn represents all of the crops which make "The Green Heart of the Province" so well known.

Motto
COR VIRIDE PROVINCIAE - "The Green Heart of the Province".

Source: City of Chilliwack
Dean McGee, 10 September 2005

Former Flag

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

In 1980, when the City of Chilliwhack amalgamated with the surrounding Township of Chilliwhack (and dropped the second “h” from its name), it adopted a green-white-green Canadian pale design with a large green valentine-style heart in the centre, three-fourths the height of the flag. The Canadian pale design undoubtedly represent Chilliwack as a Canadian city, and the heart its role as “The Green Heart of British Columbia”.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011