Every province, region, city and town has it’s own distinct reputation.

Alberta is known as a land of overindulgence, full of cowboys, oil rigs and oversized pickup trucks. Saskatchewan is a known as a flat, dusty province full of rats and Pilsner-drinking farmers. When I think of B.C., I think of tree-hugging environmentalists and marijuana.

Calgary is Alberta’s white-collar city, while Edmonton is more ‘working class.’ Lethbridge is windy. Fort McMurray is an oil town. Lloydminster is the ‘Border City.’

Even my little hometown of Chauvin claimed to be home to the world’s largest softball.

So what is Red Deer’s claim to fame? How are we identified by the rest of the province?

If you ask someone at City Hall, they’ll probably say something like, “Red Deer is known as a bustling economic centre filled with honest hardworking people,” but you and I know that’s just a bunch of civic-pride mumbo jumbo.

I’ve heard us called ‘Red Neck Deer’ — does that mean we’re a bunch of hillbillies? Cynical locals often calls us ‘Dead Rear’ — does that mean we’re boring? These nicknames are amusing, but they’re not an accurate reflection of our reputation.

Growing up in northern Alberta, I always kind of thought of it as the place between Edmonton and Calgary. When I lived in Calgary, many people seemed to think of Red Deer as a sleepy little city they might like to retire to someday.

Red Deer is not without its fair share of highlights. Our parks and trails system are second to none. We have an abundance of golf courses and other recreational treasures, and we’re surrounded by some of the most scenic areas in the entire province. And I would remiss not mention our blossoming arts and culture community.

Before writing this column, I thought long and hard trying to peg our identity, but alas, no clear theme came to mind.

If we are serious about growing and promoting our community, then it’s time for something drastic.

We need an Eiffel Tower, an Empire State building, a pyramid, a world’s largest something — anything to make people stand up and take notice.

I’m afraid the onion-shaped water tower just doesn’t cut it.

When I’m travelling North America and tell a stranger I’m from Red Deer, Alberta I want them to say, “Oh! Is that the place with the (insert famous attraction here)?”

Whoever conceived the Red Deer canals project was on the right track. We need something large-scale, original and creative to elevate our profile and our reputation as a ‘must-visit’ Western Canadian city.