It’s been the subject of debate for nearly four years and took the Province months to give final approval, but the MD of Foothills will now be officially known as Foothills County. Effective Jan. 1, the municipality will become Foothills County. The logo will not change but will showcase its new moniker. Reeve Larry Spilak said he’s pleased to finally have Provincial approval on the name change. “We finally received confirmation from the minister last week,” said Spilak. “We were very pleased to finally get the go-ahead on it.” Initially council approved the name change prior to the October 2017 election, but it was by a slim majority so it was determined not to move forward at that time, he said. When it came before the current council it was supported 6-1, so the MD proceeded with the change. The Province required more public engagement to ensure residents were involved in the decision-making and the result was an “overwhelming yes,” he said. Switching from MD of Foothills to Foothills County will make the municipality more recognizable globally, he said. Many people understand the definition of a county but struggle more with the meaning of municipal district, he said. It could help the MD with its ongoing pursuit of commercial and industrial bodies to fill out its non-residential tax base, he said. “One of the largest benefits is that the definition of county is much more recognizable than MD,” said Spilak. “It will be better-recognized as a destination to come forward to set up businesses and as a place to live.” He said the costs for the changeover will be minimal. The MD’s current brand and logo will remain the same, making the switch easier. Municipal signage at entry points to the Foothills has aged and was already slated to be replaced, he said. Signs will be changed out in 2019, he said. As far as print materials and vehicle logos, replacement decals and paper products will be ordered on an as-needed basis in keeping with regular MD procedures, but will have the new name, he said. Overall, Spilak said it will be a beneficial move from MD to County. “I believe it’s a very positive change,” said Spilak. “We’re just following along with what the majority of other municipalities have been doing. We want to make sure we’re recognized on international and certainly the North American markets as a destination.”
