The Rural Municipality of Ritchot is exploring the idea of introducing a community mascot to bring more spirit and identity to local events.
Danielle Peters from the Recreation Department says the idea came from a realization that something was missing at their programs.
“We were like ‘What could this missing piece be?’ And it's that piece of identity and we're like, ‘That would be kind of cool if we got a mascot’.”
Inspired by the RM of Springfield, Peters says they thought it would be a great initiative to bring to Ritchot as well.
Looking to involve the community in the process, the department put out a call for ideas on Facebook.
“It's really going to be for them as well, just as much as it is for us. So, we're looking for suggestions at this point and then we might do a vote on our social media as well after we get a few different comments.”
That post led to 16 different mascot suggestions, which Peters says gave them a glimpse into the creativity of the community.
“Last summer, we actually did our rock snake in all the parks,” she says. “Somebody suggested we do a snake and somebody else mentioned a raccoon because it starts with the letter ‘R’ just like Ritchot, same thing with the raven.”
And the creativity didn’t stop there.
“Someone mentioned frogs because they hear them all the time in our community, the Beavers, the Gophers, somebody suggested a horseshoe. One that I found very fascinating is just the chimney swift because we have a lot of those in our area and people come to do studies on them all the time. So, I thought that that was really unique.”
The open call didn’t come with strict rules, and Peters says they intentionally left it wide open.
“It could be something that maybe somebody else already has. It could be something brand new. There are companies out there that can kind of design whatever you want. So even if somebody wants to make something up, that works. But ideally, we're looking at something that would tie into the identity of the RM of Ritchot.”
The goal is to build something that will increase community connections and create more excitement at local gatherings.
“We have a lot of outdoor events in the summertime, like our music in the park, our movies in the park, and a bunch of community festivals. And we think that it would just be super fun to have a mascot running around so kids could identify with that or if they see the mascot running around in the parks, they'll be more inclined to stop in and say hello, just things like that.”
The mascot will be a regular presence at recreation activities, including parades and festivals.
“It's going to be really awesome,” Peters says.
As for when the final mascot will be chosen and named, Peters says there’s no set timeline just yet.
“We're waiting to see what would be the best fit, but if we keep getting more suggestions, we'll bring it forward to our staff and council as well as putting it to a vote in the community and let them pick the winner that way. Ideally, we'd like to get a costume order by summertime and maybe have it be launched in the fall, if everything goes to plan.”
To share your ideas and be part of the process, visit the Ritchot Recreation Facebook page and leave a comment!
With files from Carly Koop