TOLEDO, Ohio — Have a good idea for a new flag for the city of Toledo? Now's your chance to make it a reality.
For the past 115 years, the official flag of the city of Toledo has only had two designs.
That could soon change however, after a call was put out to the citizens of the glass city to submit their own ideas for what the flag should look like and represent.
The city, in partnership with the Toledo Arts Council, is asking for submissions in the hope of launching a new flag in January 2025.
According to the city, “this initiative aims to engage the community in reimagining the city's visual identity and unify residents around a flag that reflects Toledo's spirit and values.”
The city will begin accepting submissions beginning in early June and lasting through July 15, at which time a review board, made up of community members and design experts, will winnow down the number of entrants.
On September 20, the semi-finalist’s designs will be put on display at the Momentum Festival in downtown Toledo followed by a period of public feedback.
The city has laid out guidelines for what entrants should try to achieve with their design:
Keep It Simple. The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory.
Use Meaningful Symbolism. The flag's images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
Use 2 or 3 Basic Colors. Limit the number of colors on the flag to three, which contrast well and come from the standard color set.
No Lettering or Seals. Never use writing of any kind or an organization's seal.
Be Distinctive. Avoid duplicating other flags.
The flag’s original design was adopted in 1909 and featured blue fields on the left and right of the flag along with a symbol that represented Toledo’s first settlement, Fort Industry.
The flag’s first redesign happened in 1997 in honor of the city’s 160th anniversary. At that time, the Fort Industry symbol was replaced by the city seal. That design remains on the city’s flags to this day.
In 2022, a local man, Jacob Parr, submitted his own design to Toledo city council and received an enthusiastic reception. Although, council seemed ready to vote to adopt Parr’s design, the proposal was put on hold indefinitely when it was decided that more community input was needed.
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