Forget the royal baby: Here's what you need to know about Prince George, the city

Posted on 24 July 2013

Its mascot is a giant wooden lumberjack, the university is frequented by moose, and it just might be the birthplace of the modern beer can. Cashing in on fifteen minutes of fame.

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Well, despite my best efforts, it’s official: the city of Prince George now shares a name with the royal baby.
But I’m not one to live in the past. I’ve mourned, and now it’s time to move on. I’ll be taking part in the official discussion about what to do with our currently useless #princegeorge hashtag later, but for now here are some things I’d like the world to know about the city I love while it enjoys its fifteen minutes of fame.
1. This is Mr. PG. He is awesome.

 
Mr. PG is the city of Prince George’s mascot. Yes, he is a giant lumberjack made of wood. What of it? From the City of Prince George website:

“Mr PG was first constructed in 1960 as a symbol of the importance of the forest industry to Prince George. That year he took part in the Prince George May Day parade and could speak and bow. In 1961 he was entered in the Kelowna Regatta and the Vancouver PNE Parade and also traveled to Smithers. Two years later, he entered the 1963 Grey Cup parade.
“Today Mr PG stands erect and silent at the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 16 but still welcomes all visitors to a Prince George that owes much to the forest industry.”

Some other things to know: he’s on a stamp, he’s had a museum exhibit, and there’s an awesome song about why he’s better than the Eiffel Tower. There’s also a huge fan community on Facebook, where people trade stories and rumours, including an urban legend that a former mayor, jealous of his popularity, once tried to destroy him with either fire or an axe (or both).

2. This is our coat of arms. It is awesome.

 
I really don’t feel like I need to explain why this is awesome.
3. This is Prince George. It is awesome.

 
It’s gorgeous in the winter. It’s gorgeous in the fall. It’s summer now, and there are at least four lakes and as many rivers that I can go for a swim in within an hour of here. It has a tiny 100-year-old steam train (called the Little Prince!) that constitutes the smallest railway in Canada. It has an awesome winter music festival, a university that is consistently visited by moose, and all sorts of great activities and organizations. It might also be the birthplace of the modern beer can.
There you have it: a brief introduction to the city of Prince George. I hope it was informative. And if you happen to be a young Prince George Alexander Louis, searching the internet and curious about what this small town of 80,000 that shares a name with you has to offer- there’s plenty of places to start.

Wil, Kate, and Mr. PG: may this be the beginning of a beautiful friendship (by Red Cup Creative)

Filed under: Best Of, Prince George