Friends of MacGregor Point Park's new logo.
by Doug Martin and Ed Nanni
The initial Friends of MacGregor Point Park’s logo used the Park graphics with the text changed to read ‘The Friends of.’ This was a simple means of meeting our immediate needs and gave us time to develop our own logo - a long time, actually. After almost 25 years, I am glad to see that we have finally met the challenge.
Friends of MacGregor Point Park's original logo.
The original logo was developed by MNR as part of the original Master Plan to provide a unique representation of the newly formed park with the sail signifying the marine heritage of the park. Travel by ship was the first transportation mode of the pioneers as they ventured from port to port along the Lake Huron shoreline. The area also has a strong fisheries history. Both of which relied on the winds and the sails for motive power.
MacGregor Point, then known as Nine Mile Point, was a navigation marker for the early sailors. It is the first visible headland when leaving Southampton.
The wheel and cart represent the Old Shore Road used by the early pioneers. The old shore road, now a trail that follows the shoreline for the entire length of the park, was the first land transportation route linking current and long abandoned settler communities between Goderich and Southampton.
The curving white band between the green and blue identified the Huron fringe, where the land and water meet. The band emphasizes the interactions the land and water have on each other and join the sail and wagon wheel together. In addition, like the waves along the shore, the curves give motion to an otherwise static image.
It is easy to overlook the significance of the original Friends logo, however, it is very specific and representative of MacGregor Point Provincial Park and has served us well, but it is time for something new and fresh.
Replacing an iconic symbol as recognizable as the Friends of MacGregor Point Park logo is not a task to be taken lightly. After all, it’s been around for almost 25 years. We wanted to be sure that whatever replaced it was well thought out, well reasoned and truly representative of the connection between the Park and the Friends.
This new logo had to quickly and accurately communicate what MacGregor is today and capture why it’s appreciated by visitors and campers. Just as important, it had to add meaning to the slogan “naturally connected,” which was used with the original logo.
For this we went to our charter and our Friends mission statement which says that our purpose is “to increase the overall awareness of the Friends and its role in the development and contributions to MacGregor Point Provincial Park.”
Over the years the Friends have significantly contributed to the building and maintenance of trails and boardwalks that lead visitors and campers to all aspects of the Park. Trails that lead visitors through old forests and open water under a big blue sky - these are the unforgettable impressions that make MacGregor a park for all seasons. This was our starting point.
We took these guidelines to Chris Irvine, Chief Graphic and Exhibit Designer of the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre. He gave us a number of sketches of which one stood out above the others as bringing “Naturally Connected” to life.
Simplicity in design communicates best and this is true of our new logo. It goes directly to the primary essence of the park’s key attributes: forests, paths, open water and blue sky. The key visual is a medallion, circled by the words Friends of MacGregor Point Park and bound by an outline of green
Committee members wanted the new logo to be flexible and adaptable.
Flexibility was another aspect of our design parameters. Not only does the new logo work well as a circular badge, it can also be used horizontally which increases its use and adaptability for all forms of clothing, stationary and signage.
Our new logo is a bold step forward. It gives us a fresh, new look and the opportunity to re-brand ourselves in a colourful, relevant flexible and meaningful manner.
