The horse or the boat ... the choice is yours.

A decision by city council to put off adopting a new brand for Whitehorse means residents will get another chance to comment on what's become a controversial topic, with the city now slated to do another survey on the matter.

It's estimated the decision will cost the city $2,500 to $3,000 in advertising as it gets the word out.

Council was unanimous in its decision Monday night to put off the branding in favour of going to the public once again.

"We're back to the drawing board a bit,” Mayor Bev Buckway told reporters following last night's meeting.

The move comes after council was presented with an 845-signature petition last week calling for the city to keep the sternwheeler logo, one of a number it currently uses.

The city had been considering rebranding to a white horse that featured a stylized letter W – symbolizing the Whitehorse rapids – for the horse's mane with a tagline of "Above All Expectations”.

It had been designed by eSolutions of Waterloo, Ont., which was contracted for the project. While the petition came after a survey, public and stakeholder meetings earlier this year, the number of signatures was enough to convince council to take a second look at it.

A Facebook group – Whitehorse Save Our Ship – also sprang up from the controversy, with 102 people listed as "liking” the page that aims to keep the sternwheeler logo.

Along with the signatures collected, council was told a number of seniors in the city weren't informed about the rebranding project.

The challenge, Buckway said, is ensuring everyone is informed at the outset of such projects.

In the most recent survey that will go out Friday, residents will be asked to choose between the white horse or the sternwheeler design; and between the taglines of "Above All Expectations” or the two existing taglines of the "Wilderness City” or "Striving for Excellence”.

They will also be asked to rate how much they agree with a lengthy statement about the city values and will be given additional space to leave any other comments.

Unlike the original survey done on the project, those completing it will be asked to provide their name and a phone number in order to ensure that everyone fills out just one survey, city spokesman Matthew Grant explained at a press conference this morning.

"This is just another stage in the process,” he said.

After it's made available on-line (www.whitehorse.ca) and through hard copies at the Canada Games Centre and city hall on Friday, residents will have until April 29 to fill it out.

"Please spread the word,” Buckway said after announcing the survey at last night's meeting.

The city will be using its website, print and broadcast advertising, on-line discussion forums, its own Facebook page, posters, mini-flyers and e-mail lists to get word out about it.

The delay in adopting a new brand also means the launch of the city's updated website will be put on hold until the city has selected the brand that will be featured on the site, said Grant and Buckway.

Funding for the branding project is coming from the Yukon government, which contributed $50,000, with another $10,000 from the city along with its management of the project.