MAPLE Ridge on Wednesday unveiled new branding that highlights the City’s strong connection to nature, broad economic potential and deep community bonds.

The refreshed brand includes a new logo, colours, fonts and brand story based on themes that emerged during months of development which included public engagement and a review of relevant research. With a look and feel reflecting both a vibrant future and treasured heritage, the new branding will be rolled out in a phased approach as the City moves towards the Maple Ridge 150 celebrations next year.

The unveiling of the new brand was timed to take place at the Economic Development Summit at the ACT Arts Centre, as both initiatives are focused on building on Council’s vision and Strategic Priorities to deliver a bright future for the City.

“As we bring our economic leaders together to explore how we can encourage innovation and growth, it’s the perfect time to reveal the City’s new branding that will roll out as part of our 2024 Maple Ridge 150 celebration,” said Maple Ridge Mayor Dan Ruimy. “This is a pivotal time for Maple Ridge, as we build on our strengths while positioning our community to thrive in the future. Our rebranding is a signal that we are open for business and that Maple Ridge is a place where people can build their future while establishing deep connections with the community and the natural beauty that surrounds us.”

Maple Ridge’s last rebranding took place 17 years ago, long before many of the social, economic and other changes that have reshaped the world and community we live in today, the City noted.

When the City sought resident and business perspectives this year through focus groups and an online survey on the City’s Engage Maple Ridge platform, the feedback painted a picture of a place offering active lifestyles and nature on its doorstep, exciting economic opportunities, and a welcoming and connected community. This is reflected in the new brand pillars:

• Bold by Nature
• Driven by Community
• City on the Move

“It was interesting and important to hear what our residents had to say about the place we live and what matters to them,” said Zvi Lifshiz, Director of Strategic Development, Communications and Public Engagement for the City of Maple Ridge. “Local residents love the City’s natural setting and value the connections they make in the community through their participation in sports, recreation and cultural events. There is also a sense that Maple Ridge is at an economic turning point as entrepreneurs and investors discover the incredible opportunities of our fast-growing city. Our brand story captures these elements and allows us to share our authentic story with the region and the world.”

Specific graphic and colour choices bring the new brand to life:

• The focal point is the Golden Ears Mountains, identified by residents as the iconic feature of the community. The peaked shapes, which also form the letter M, evoke green forests and bursts of colour as seen at sunset or as the seasons change.
• The Fraser River that defines Maple Ridge’s southern border grounds the bottom of the graphic with a swoosh of teal.
• A broad colour palette reflects the diversity and vibrancy of the City’s arts, culture, sports and residents of all backgrounds.
• Bold graphic elements reflect the bold vision for the community, while the circular shape and rounded edges convey a friendly, complete community and harken to its past.
• The M in the Maple Ridge wordmark has a wide mountain-like base and the G’s curved tail represents a winding river.
• The City’s new font, Source Sans, is a functional, contemporary sans-serif font that supports Indigenous languages.

“Maple Ridge is a city that has reinvented itself over and over again as the industries and eras have passed,” Ruimy said. “As we close in on the 100,000-population mark and 150 years since incorporation, this new brand signals the positive change ahead.”

Using a budget conscious approach, the new brand will be gradually introduced over the coming months in the lead-up to Maple Ridge 150 in 2024. It will roll out across the City’s digital assets and social media platforms, and more widely over the next few years as physical assets require replacement and upgrades.

“2024 is a big year for our community. Not only are we celebrating the 150^th anniversary of incorporation, we’re also hosting the Maple Ridge 2024 BC Summer Games at the end of July and welcoming over 3,000 athletes, coaches and sports officials to our community,” said Ruimy. “Our community is moving forward with a strong vision, a great new brand story, and new visual identity that speaks both to our proud history and our bright future.”

The City has worked with Trapeze Communications, a B.C. marketing and graphic design firm, on the development of the new brand assets. Initiated in January of 2023, the branding project is part of an extensive update of the City’s communications and community engagement approach that also includes a website targeted for launch in early 2024.

This work also ties into to the strategic planning work to expand the City’s transportation network through the Maple Ridge Moves plan, recreation facilities, economic development and employment generation.

“Maple Ridge is one of the fastest growing cities in the region, and that creates challenges and opportunities,” said Ruimy. “Our Council is meeting the challenges head on with a bold plan to build out our road network, open employment lands to diversify the economy, and create new recreation facilities and parks so our community can live healthy and active lives. Our new brand conveys what our community is today and the promise of the future. We have much to be proud of and together we are building a bold future.”

For more information about Maple Ridge’s new brand, go to mapleridge.ca/brandstory.