In 2022, I received a call from Jim Walters of Crosby Hanna in Saskatoon, SK. He and several others were brought in to develop Moose Jaw's new Official Community Plan & Zoning Bylaw. This is a Community Plan that is likely supposed to last 25 years—it is a big deal. I actually can't recall how Jim knew about me, which I feel sheepish about.
He got me in the door and passed me off to Alan Wallace of Wallace Insights. I can't say enough good things about how great it was to work with Alan. A true professional. Slogging through Objectives and Policies, and their revisions, all the while being incredibly pleasant and professional to meet, discuss, and revise with. Everything was always calm and collected with this project, and I eventually realized it's because that is how Alan goes about his work.
What I'm taking too long to say is that they brought me in to design the Official Community Plan (OCP) document itself—which will be added to my portfolio section 'Print and Digital' once public.
Prior to designing the OCP, they had me come up with the below Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw logo to be used during their research out and about in the City. I, of course, did not design the Moose in it. It, as well as the fonts chosen are part of Moose Jaw's Brand Identity.
One of the more fun projects I've done in the past number of years also went along with them when setting up to get community input: A huge 'picture you put your head in' (according to James Acaster, who has a joke about 'these things have no name' and he workshops some ideas, and the best he can come up with is 'a picture you put your head in'.
Anyway, I wanted to create an over-the-top, most Moose Javian image possible to put your head in. I think it turned out pretty funny. The goal was engagement and community input, and the hope was that some people would post images of themselves online in this 'picture you put your head in' which would promote Moose Jaw and their brand.
It features:
-You as a gangster (Al Capone, Tunnels of Moose Jaw)
-Riding a Moose
-In a wheat field
-With the Saskatchewan Flag triumphantly waving behind you
-As well as Mac the Moose
-And the Snowbirds
-QR code that could be clickable in the photo that is now on your phone
