The Town of Amherst, N.S., has unveiled a colourful new way to celebrate its history, heritage and community identity. A newly designed tartan, featuring colours that represent different aspects of the town, is being introduced as Amherst undergoes a broader refresh of its municipal branding. The idea was pitched by local business owner Dale Kearney of Maritime Tartan, who believed Amherst deserved a tartan of its own. The timing couldn’t have been better, according to town officials. “[It] kind of lined up perfectly with our brand refresh,” said Lori O’Connell, marketing and communications officer with the Town of Amherst. “I think it’s important, it ties into our heritage and our sense of community. I’m really excited to use it for promotional materials and share it with the world.” The tartan’s design tells the story of Amherst, a community with roots dating back well over a century. Each colour was chosen to reflect a different part of the town’s identity. “At the heart of the tartan is the deep blue, which represents the waters, while the white represents the winter landscapes and the bright future of a community,” said O’Connell. “We have the fine green lines that represent the countryside.” Bringing the design to life was an international effort, with help from a company in Scotland. Kearney said he wanted to create something unique that would give Amherst residents another way to celebrate their hometown. “I thought it would be quite unique for Amherst to have one. We’re a big hub in Nova Scotia, so I thought it would be great to have its own identity with a tartan that means something to the town,” he said. While the design is expected to generate plenty of interest, Kearney said the initial production run will be limited because of the cost and time involved in manufacturing the tartan. “We’re doing a minimum order of this stuff just because of the cost, which takes approximately five months,” he said. The tartan will be available and pre-ordered in several forms, including blankets, knee blankets, pocket scarves and neck ties, with items expected to become available in March. Kearney hopes the finished products will be more than just souvenirs. “You’ll get one, it’s going to be a keepsake,” he said. “You can pass this down from generation to generation. You can say, ‘Hey, our town has a tartan, this is what it means, this is our identity,’ and you can pass it down as gifts.” Around Amherst, the new design is already receiving positive reviews. “I like the colours. Yeah, that’s really neat,” said one resident. Another said they were looking forward to seeing the tartan incorporated into more things around town. “That’ll be fun. I can’t wait to see that in the background in a lot of things.” For others, the tartan represents something bigger than a colourful pattern. “The tartan means a lot for Nova Scotians, so absolutely it does scream hometown pride,” said another resident. Town officials hope the design will eventually become a recognizable symbol of Amherst, both at home and beyond the community. “I also want to see our residents and our businesses embracing it and wearing it down the street and even wearing it outside of Amherst,” said O’Connell. With its blend of history, local identity and Scottish craftsmanship, the new tartan is intended to give Amherst residents a lasting way to show their pride. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
