Humboldt seeks to move beyond image as 'the grieving city'

Family members and community members join in a moment of silence during the Humboldt Broncos memorial service at Elgar Petersen Arena in Humboldt, Sask. on Saturday, April, 6, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/POOL-Liam Richards

HUMBOLDT, Sask. -- The Saskatchewan city of Humboldt is looking to revamp its image as a way of helping people move past the Broncos bus crash.

Spokeswoman Penny Lee says Humboldt became known to many as "the grieving city" after the April 6, 2018 collision.

Sixteen people died and thirteen were injured when the driver of a semi-truck missed a stop sign at a rural intersection and drove into the path of the junior hockey team's bus.

"Possibly everybody's felt that, OK, Humboldt is just about the Broncos," Lee said Friday.

"We're so much more than that."

Residents are being asked to fill out a survey that will be used to help the city craft a new look. It may include a new logo and tag line.

"We've actually heard businesses, local businesses, say that their suppliers are afraid to come to Humboldt because, 'Oh no. They're still grieving,"' Lee said.

"We want to get that message out that ... it's OK. We're moving on and we want everybody else to move on, but not forget."

Although many people still use the phrase "Humboldt Strong," which emerged after the crash, Lee said she doesn't think the city will adopt it as an official slogan because it may not make sense to residents in future years.

So far, she said, people who have responded to the survey say Humboldt is a clean and friendly place to be.

"To me, that's exactly what it was before April 6."