ERVING — Town officials are revitalizing their efforts to explore adoption of a town logo after the discussion was tabled in 2020.
According to Assistant Town Planner Mariah Kurtz, the town had been looking into having a logo designed until the idea was “put on the back-burner” due to COVID-19-related setbacks. Talks to adopt a logo also stalled due to the lack of “an icon” that would be featured, with some residents expressing concerns over the prospect of the French King Bridge being portrayed due to its historical association with suicides, according to Kurtz. She reasoned that the Selectboard now has enough time to revisit the topic.
Aside from having time to revamp branding efforts, impetus for Erving to adopt a logo is motivated by a desire to add signs around town. Locations where Erving hopes to install signs in 2023 include Park Street Park, Church Street Park, Erving Center Cemetery and the Poplar Mountain Conservation Area. Additionally, the town hopes to install two “Welcome to Erving” signs. Signs would feature Erving’s new logo and likely draw inspiration from signs in Burlington, Vermont.
While Selectboard members were enthusiastic to continue the project during Monday’s meeting, members expressed that they are still unsure as to what they would like to see in a logo.
“It’s one of those projects where I don’t have a vision of where I want the branding to go,” said Selectboard member Scott Bastarache, who had not been on the Selectboard when discussions commenced in 2020. “If there’s a way that we can build on what we already have and not reinvent the wheel, I’m fine with that.”
Bastarache said he was “torn” when considering the French King Bridge as an option for the logo’s focus. Kurtz added that moving away from the French King Bridge concept is difficult due to Erving having “very few distinct focal points.” She suggested, however, that while a community like Greenfield has features such as Poet’s Seat Tower to use for branding, Erving has character in its wildlife.
“I have thought a lot as we have been going through the design process for the sculpture that is going into Riverfront Park,” Kurtz said, referencing local welder Jon Bander’s ongoing project. “People have been really identifying with the wildlife along the Millers River and I think that, depending on how the reception of the sculpture goes, something like a heron could be a really simple outline design that goes well with text.”
Kurtz noted that Erving can give designers community survey results from 2020 to guide their work. Selectboard Chair Jacob Smith said approaching the project again two years later could be a matter of employing “very passionate feedback from different people … in a different direction that may be more successful.”
“Even if we start over with the logo,” Kurtz said, “I don’t think we’re starting from scratch, no matter what we do.”
A scope of work for town-branded signs would be sent to three vendors, according to Kurtz. Design services are expected to cost $5,000, according to the project’s scope of work statement.
The Selectboard will reconvene on Aug. 29 and will review a refined scope of work, as well as additional examples of logos from other municipalities as inspiration.
“I think, realistically,” Kurtz said, “signage probably won’t be installed until the spring, which gives us the winter to nail this down.”
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.