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City asked to leave heart in Sorrento

Sorrento residents have asked Salmon Arm council and the city to leave the Heart of Shuswap where it belongs.

Sorrento residents have asked Salmon Arm council and the city to leave the Heart of Shuswap where it belongs.

The issue of who owns the slogan “Heart of the Shuswap” was raised during Salmon Arm’s municipal election, when candidates were asked if they would support returning it to Sorrento.

From that, Sorrento & Area Community Association president Barry Stokes was asked to come and speak to Salmon Arm council and discuss the matter.

He obliged this request Monday, thanking Mayor Nancy Cooper before providing some historical background on the community of Sorrento, and how “Heart of the Shuswap” became Sorrento’s adopted slogan as early as 1980.

Stokes explains in a written report to council that the “Heart of the Shuswap,” and an associated logo, were developed by local artisan Brian Hurtsfield in the early 1980s after he reviewed logos and slogans in use at that time by Shuswap communities. This includes Salmon Arm which, at the time, he said, was using the slogan “Gem of the Shuswap.”

The slogan, “Heart of the Shuswap,” remains in use by the Sorrento community association, the visitor’s centre and Sorrento businesses. He says with Salmon Arm using the same slogan,  it appears as though the two communities are in competition.

“We want to try to eliminate that if we can,” said Stokes. “I pointed out in the letter that we’re both part of Shuwap Tourism, we’ve worked together on the development plan and we want to be working in collaboration.”

Stokes’ requested Salmon Arm discontinue using the slogan and to remove it from its signs and website.

Administrator Carl Bannister said that Sorrento has a trademark on the slogan that was issued in Feb. 2009. Salmon Arm has an official mark, something Bannister says has more “privileged rights than a trademark,” which was registered in Sept. 2009.

At the answer/question period, Duncan Myers offered his support to Sorrento’s case, explaining his role 30 years ago was to promote the Shuswap as a whole. He explained that Salmon Arm had a number of slogans, but “Heart of the Shuswap” has long been Sorrento’s.

“For me it’s not a legal issue, it’s purely a community issue,” said Myers.

Council’s decision was put off for a later date as Couns. Marg Kentel and Debbie Cannon were absent.

 



Lachlan Labere

About the Author: Lachlan Labere

Editor of the Salmon Arm Observer, Shuswap Market, and Eagle Valley News. I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to keep our readers informed and engaged.
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