Lockport raises newly designed city flag at Heritage Village

Lockport — The City of Lockport held an official flag raising for its newly designed city flag, a project spearheaded by a local Boy Scout.

Zachary Dylkiewicz, 14, proposed the creation of a city flag to the Lockport City Council in May 2024, and its creation was the basis of his Eagle Scout project.

After first proposing a new flag, Mayor Steven Streit embraced the idea but suggested that Dylkiewicz create a flag committee to work together on creating a design.

Throughout the summer of 2024, Dylkiewicz worked with several other volunteers, including some of his friends, and a flag expert from Barrington, Illinois to finalize the design, which was approved officially in October by the City Council.

On Wednesday, the finalized, full-sized flag was hoisted for the first time on its new pole, surrounded by fresh landscaping at Heritage Village.

“Zachary did such a great job putting this together,” Streit said before the flag raising. “The flag committee did a great job working through the design principles and other flags in the area to come up with an original design. We want to thank him and his mother for all they’ve done.”

During the event, Dylkiewicz also was officially presented with his Eagle Scout patch, an honor that had only been approved the previous day.

In order to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, a scout must earn at least 21 merit badges, and demonstrations of Scout Spirit, an “ideal attitude,” service and leadership, including the organization and completion of the Eagle Scout project. Only 4% of scouts nationwide ever reach the Eagle Scout rank by the age of 18.

“I’d lie to thank my parents for supporting me through this, Mayor Streit, the flag committee, our sponsors and Troop 63 for all their help,” Dylkiewicz said. “I hope the city will embrace this flag as a symbol for many years to come.”

The new Lockport flag, as described in its official dedication plaque, is a maroon field – a color used regularly in logos for the city and high school – with a wavy light blue stripe representing the canal, and yellow ripples.

The color of the ripples is meant to invoke the limestone used in the city’s historic buildings, while the ripples “signify Lockport’s historical importance and regional influence.”

Dylkiewicz will be entering his freshman year at Lockport Township High School in the fall and has been involved in the Boy Scouts since second grade.

While Eagle Scout is the highest rank a scout can receive, scouts can continue to earn merit badges and recognitions beyond the Eagle badge.

Dylkiewicz said he hopes to mentor younger scouts and “looks forward to what my scouting career brings next” as he enters high school.