Windsor can use ‘birthplace of hockey’ on official logo despite trademark

WINDSOR, N.S. – Windsor is clearly proud to be known as the birthplace of hockey — the phrase is featured prominently throughout town from the moment you drive in off the highway.

So when town council decided a couple months ago to create an official town logo, there was no question what they wanted to highlight.

“We are hockey and that’s what we’re going to be in the future,” said Mayor Paul Beazley.

“The town of Windsor: we are the birthplace of hockey and our logo is going to be represented by hockey.”

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But it turns out the phrase ‘birthplace of hockey’ was actually trademarked by the Windsor Hockey Heritage Society. That prompted questions and possibly some misunderstanding as to whether the town could use the slogan on its official logo.

The society’s president, David Hunter, joined the mayor on Wednesday to clear up any misconceptions.

“It’s been blown out of proportion a little bit,” said Hunter. “They want to incorporate with their town logo that can be seen all over town. We have no problem with that. We never did.”

Hunter says what the society wanted to protect was their own logo, which they are developing ahead of the Long Pond Heritage Classic tournament.

It’s still not known if the new logo will even include that phrase or a variation of it.

Council will now turn to an online service that allows graphic designers to pitch designs and it will be up to them to incorporate tag lines and slogans.

“It’ll be up to us to look at the various designs that come in and say, ‘That’s the one. That is good.’ And if there’s one that comes in that says ‘birthplace of hockey’ on it, the first person to know will be Dave Hunter, president of the Hockey Heritage Society and we’ll ask him, ‘What do you think,” said Beazley.

The passion surrounding that phrase comes as no surprise to Danny Dill, whose family owns the Long Pond property. The site is known as the ‘cradle of hockey’ and is believed to be the spot where the game was first played.

“Birthplace of hockey — it’s a very emotional phrase, especially in the country of Canada because it’s like a culture to us,” Dill said.

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For now, the town and the Windsor Hockey Heritage Society have turned their attention away form slogans and logos.

Their focus is now back on the game of hockey and the Long Pond Heritage Classic, which begins Jan. 30.

The event will bring players together on the ice at Long Pond and include special guest, former NHLer Guy Lafleur.