Altona flag named best in Manitoba after winning contest

Altona residents can raise their flag high after it won a Manitoba Vexillological Association contest.

The flag association held a month-long contest in March where they asked Manitobans to answer one question: Which municipality has the best flag in the province?

The southern Manitoba town wasrecently named the winner.

The win feels overwhelming for Altona flag designer Edward Vincent Arcenal.

Despite the flag's success, the design process was relatively easy, he said.

"I just observed the people are very friendly, warm and happy people,"Arcenal told CBC ManitobaRadio Noonhost Marjorie Dowhos.

The flag features a blue background and yellow sunflower petals, which are all different shapes and sizes to represent the diversity of Altona. The sunflower is also a nod to the municipality's claim to bethe sunflower capital of Canada.

Arcenal, who immigrated to Canada from the Philippines, has only been living in Altona for three years.

The peacefulness of the town and the friendliness of the residents drew him to it, he said.

To mark its 125th anniversary in 2020,Altona held a contest, invitingresidents to redesign its flag.

Arcenal, wanting to celebrate his new home, designed the winning flag, which was first unveiled two years ago, as a thank you gift.

"I just felt something, likeI need to contribute something for the community," he said.

The recent win isn't the first time his design is being recognized: the Altona flag placed fourth in a national competition of municipal flags.

Lucas Stratton, the president and founder of the Manitoba Vexillological Association, isn't surprised by the flag's success.

"Right off the get-goAltona was a strong contender," Stratton told CBC.

"Right away people were saying this one is going to win it, for sure."

Although a lot of the design critique in vexillology, which is the study of flags, comes down to personal taste, there are unofficial rules, he said.

Flags that feature simple designs, limited or no text and detailed symbolism tend to be the most esthetically pleasing.

Stratton founded the vexillological association after he realizedthere were no Manitoba-specific flag associations.

"My goal really is just to hopefully get more people interested in it, because I think it's a really fun topic andit's kind of niche and not really thought about very often, the flags of Manitoba," he said.

The recent competition is one way he is fulfilling this goal.

For the entirety of March leading into early April, hundreds of Manitobans voted for their favourite flag on a Google poll.

Brandon and St. Andrews were runner up for best flag, while Portage La Prairie, Morden and Winkler got named the worst flags in the province.

A spokesperson for Morden said the flag used by the Manitoba Vexillological Association in the contestis outdated and no longer the town flag.The townalso plans to hold a contestthat willgive residents the chance to design a new flag for the municipality.

Stratton is still deciding on a prize for the winner, but after speaking with residents of the town and Arcenal, they're leaning toward creating a specialty flag.

The initial creation of the flag and its latest success have made Arcenal a local celebrity.

Community members frequently stop and congratulate him, Arcenal said.

He is still coming to terms with everything but to him, the best part of the experience has been getting to honour his new home.