In early 2018, the town, Chamber of Commerce, Ignacio Community Library and community members came together to rebrand Ignacio and select new wayfinding signage.
The group settled on the tagline “Rooted in Culture.” Interim Town Manager Mark Garcia said they wanted to step away from the “tri-ethnic” identity.
“We thought we were beyond three cultures,” Garcia said, and that nobody was attached or took ownership of the tri-ethnic brand.
“One of the things we were looking for was unity,” said Director of the Ignacio Community Library Marcia Vining, who was one of the community stakeholders involved in the process. “The goal was not to single out a specific culture but to acknowledge that we are a mix.”
The new logo denotes a tree with three roots to represent three communities that anchor the town’s history: Latinos, Native Americans and Anglos. The geometric leaves that grow larger signify the broader community, both young and old, Garcia said. “One of our goals was to find something that (would last) long term. We wanted to avoid something that was just cliché,” Vining said.
The branding and marketing plan was funded by a grant that was matched by the town from Downtown Colorado Incorporated. Ignacio was able to acquire some extra funds that Pagosa Springs did not use from their grant. The implementation occurred years after a 2009 downtown revitalization assessment provided various recommendations to improve the downtown area.
Some signs have already been installed, but larger gateway light-up signs will be added before funding expires in June.
One thing Vining said Ignacio has to offer more than other places is their value in the community. “We do know each other. We know our neighbors,” she said.
