The City of Prince George could use a name change to spruce up the city's image, according to longtime Abbotsford city councillor Simon Gibson.
In an e-mail to Mayor Shari Green and city council, Gibson said the name Prince George, "sounds musty, old-fashioned and lifeless." Gibson has served on Abbotsford city council since the 1980s, teaches business at Simon Fraser University and is the author of a weekly column on office politics.
So what should the city be called? Gibson's suggestions include: City of North Centre, City of Northern Empire, Capital North, City of Northern Hub, City of the North, City of Adventure and Future City.
"All I want to do is plant the seed. I think sometimes Prince George gets a bad rap," Gibson said. "I think rebranding Prince George... will bring it more into the
mainstream."
Lower Mainland residents frequently confuse Prince George with Prince Rupert and are largely unaware of the city, he said, except for a reputation as the Most Dangerous City in Canada ranking by Maclean's Magazine.
With the city's centennial coming up in 2015, it would be an ideal time to launch a new name and new brand for the city, Gibson said.
"Prince George, as a name, has little personality and is all about history," Gibson wrote. "Time for a new name. Something with energy and innovation that says, 'We're exciting and we're open for
business.'"
Gibson said he spent some time living in Smithers and is familiar with Prince George and the region.
The name doesn't reflect the resources and energy Prince George has as a city, he said.
A spokesperson for the City of Prince George said the city has no comment on Gibson's suggestion.
Northern B.C. Tourism Association CEO Anthony Everett agreed with Gibson that Prince George and northern B.C. do not have a lot of brand recognition.
"The vastness of northern B.C. is an unknown for people. It's not just Prince George that fits into that," Everett said.
"But a brand is much more than its name... it's about the totality of what makes it a great product or great place to visit."
Everett said changing the city's name would likely have little effect on the city's ability to attract
tourists from outside the region.
City residents have been chiming in on the proposal on the social media site Twitter, using the hash tag #newnameforprincegeorge. Some of the suggestions for a new city name include Awesome George, Gangstown, The City Formerly Known as Prince George (use a symbol), and What's That Smell?
