What do you think symbolizes your community? Is it a building, an item, an artifact? A community group, an animal, a feeling? Once you’ve figured that out, if you can figure out how to represent that in a portable format, you’re most of the way to making a suggestion for the Burlington 150+ Time Capsule, a project recently announced by the Mayor’s Office in celebration of the city’s 150+ anniversary.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward outlined the project this week: she is looking for seven artifacts or objects, one representing each ward, and one to represent the city as a whole. Residents of Burlington with a suggestion for the time capsule can write “a detailed description of an artefact/object OR a photo of an artefact/object they own and are willing to donate to the City of Burlington,” alongside a brief explanation of “why they feel this artefact/object best represents either the ward they live in OR the city as a whole.”
No particular dimensions have been specified for objects; the Mayor’s Office notes that they are leaving it open to see what kinds of suggestions people have. The questions of where the time capsule will end up, whether it might be buried somewhere within the city or kept tucked away at City Hall, and when it should be opened again are still being considered: the Mayor’s Office will let the public know when all the details are finalized.
Of this project, Mayor Meed Ward says: “Burlington’s 150+ anniversary has a history that goes beyond the date of when the Village of Burlington was formed and acknowledges the Indigenous Peoples who were caretakers of this land long before. Putting together a time capsule to mark and celebrate this milestone is a wonderful way to engage everyone in our community and see what they view as representative of Burlington and our local neighbourhoods. Once assembled and unveiled, this will be a lovely keepsake for our community now and for future generations — it will also give them an opportunity to learn a little bit more about the Burlington of the past.”
Suggestions can be emailed to mayor@burlington.ca with the subject line “Burlington 150+ Time Capsule” or mailed to the Mayor’s Office at the following address: Burlington City Hall — Mayor’s Office, 426 Brant St., Burlington, Ont., L7R 3Z6.
The Mayor’s Office has asked that people do not drop off any items at City Hall or any other city facilities. An event to unveil the chosen items will occur in fall 2023.
Just last week, a 50-year-old time capsule in Ypsilanti, Michigan, was dug up and opened at a community event. Despite some water damage, a number of documents and artifacts were recovered, and there are plans to preserve the contents. (You can watch a video from the Ypsilanti reopening event below.)
