The artistic process in the development of the graphic design and production of the OUR Community Dollar Series One notes was an act of love and determination.

Each series of currency requires visual artists, graphic designers, and high tech production co-organization. There is a great deal of research that goes into each note.

The premiere series of OUR Community Dollars was launched in November 2004. This series, The Waterloo - Wellington Region Series One, celebrated the people and places of the Waterloo - Wellington Region.

(Please note: The OUR Community Dollar™ Program was operating under the umbrella of 1517822 Ontario Inc at that time.)

Visual Artwork

There are eighteen images utilized in the creation of the six notes on Series One of The Waterloo - Wellington Region Series One. On each note there is one structure, one scenic image and one image of an indigenous bird.

Visual Artist Nick Morris, of Guelph, Ontario, provided the still photos of seventeen of the images. The image of The Blue Heron, found on the front side of the two-dollar note, was provided by Jennifer Moore of Guelph, Ontario. Nick Morris is also credited with the digital enhancement of the photos. 

OUR Community Currency Inc. is greatly appreciative of the incredible support and continuous encouragement that Nick has provided to this development of the Waterloo - Wellington Series One Notes.

Design Process

The layout and design of the first Series of the OUR Community Dollar ™was done in conjunction with Valery Vidershpan of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Vidershpan’s design was then provided to Dots & Pixels, of Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.

Dots & Pixels is a premiere full colour printing service that provides high end specialized services to major corporations and government agencies. They specialize in systems to deal with anti-counterfeiting systems.

The expertise available at Dots & Pixels Inc., has resulted in Dots & Pixels becoming the printer of choice in the community currency world. They are also the printer for Toronto Dollars, The Oceanside Dollar and the Tamworth Hour notes.

Dots & Pixels Inc ., Canada's first digital colour printer, has been producing secure documents for over 8 years.  Utilizing the highest quality digital colour printing technology available, they are able to produce security features such as "void pantographs", logo lines, invisible images that appear under a black light.  Many of these features can be variable, changing from one document to the next, all driven from a database.  Numbering can include modulous check digits, product and series identifiers and bar codes while being specific too and in combination with other secure features. The substrates that can be printed on are numerous.  This six colour digital technology is unparalleled in the industry.

The following features have been designed in the OUR Community Dollar™  Waterloo - Wellington currency Series One:

1/  Latent logo images in spot colour
2/  Invisible UV Ink, detectable under black lights only
3/  Database driven serial numbering, denomination and series specific
4/  5 colour digital printing in combination with 5 colour offset printing
5/  Acid free paper with 10% post consumer waste

For more information on Dots & Pixels,CLICK HERE

The Ottawa Valley Region, Series One

We are currently developing our second Region of OUR Community Dollar Program, The Ottawa Valley Region Series. This series is expected to launch in the spring of 2010

The Ottawa Valley Region currency will feature the same design and layout features of The Waterloo - Wellington Series Two but will be created with local images from the Ottawa region. .

For more information on this project, please contact our office.