Town of Coaldale holds flag raising ceremony at new civic building

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Sunny South News

By Erika Mathieu
Sunny South News

Four flags now wave proudly at the recently completed Civic Square building in downtown Coaldale.

The customary Federal, Provincial, and Municipal flags were raised for the first time on Feb. 13, alongside Ukraine’s national flag which currently occupies the community flag pole.

In 2022, council made the decision to construct a fourth flagpole at the location. Mayor Jack Van Rijn said, “The Town of Coaldale will provide individual residents and community groups with the opportunity to display special flags in recognition of significant community, provincial, federal, and world events.”

During the ceremony, Van Rijn remarked on the significance of the Ukrainian flag in Coaldale’s backyard.

“Although this conflict is taking place in a distant land, it is important to recognize that what is at stake is very close to all Canadians, and free people everywhere.”

He later noted, “to show our support for Ukraine, we will have the Ukrainian flag fly alongside those of our country, province, and Town.”

The flag-raising ceremony was attended by several Coaldale residents with Ukrainian ancestry, including Amelia Peesker and Warren Rogalsky, and their spouses, who took part in hoisting the Ukrainian flag on the community flag pole last Monday.

The selection criteria and fielding process for community flagpole applications and requests will be presented to council for consideration and approval in the coming weeks. Once this policy is approved, Coaldale residents looking to submit requests are encouraged to do so by contacting the Town office.