Mayor’s Office Launches Burlington 150+ Time Capsule Project

In recognition and celebration of our Burlington 150+ anniversary this year, we’re launching a Time Capsule project!We’re looking for 7 artefacts or objects to include in the time capsule – one item representing each ward and one that reflects our city.Residents interested in making a suggestion for an item are asked to contact the Mayor’s Office with:

• 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; and
• A line or two on why they feel this artefact/object best represents either the ward they live in OR the city, as a whole.

You can submit your suggestion either by emailing mayor@burlington.ca with subject line “Burlington 150+ Time Capsule” or sending a letter to the Mayor’s Office mailed to:

Burlington City Hall – Mayor’s Office

426 Brant St.

Burlington, Ont.

L7R 3Z6

NOTE: Please do not drop off any items at the security desk at City Hall or other City of Burlington facilities, as they will not be accepted.The Mayor’s Office team will review the submissions we receive by email or regular mail and select the 7 items that will be unveiled at a small event sometime in fall 2023.

"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." -- Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward

Looking to learn more about Burlington? Scroll down.A BIT OF HISTORYBurlington’s journey to becoming incorporated as a city began 150 years ago and the ‘+’ acknowledges the Indigenous Peoples who were on the land long before that. We recognize the land we now know as Burlington has an Indigenous history that goes beyond 150 years -- and we honour and recognize the diverse Indigenous Peoples who have lived in this area and acknowledge Burlington is on Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.You may have seen a special “Burlington 150+” identifier around the city to help symbol the history of Burlington and what’s important to us. The identifier uses four shapes and colours with:

• green representing nature and the land;
• yellow symbolizing unity and our multi-cultural community;
• light blue symbolizing freedom while living in peace and harmony; and
• orange representing our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

Burlington’s journey to becoming a municipality started on Sept. 9, 1873 when the villages of Wellington Square and Port Nelson merged to become the Village of Burlington – with a population of little more than 750 people. It was designated a town in 1914 with its newly-elected and first mayor Maxwell Charles Smith, and then a city in 1974.Our City Crest also carries a lot of our municipality’s story with the symbols included in it, such as:

• The peaks of the dividing line represent our major headlands: Rattlesnake Point, Mount Nemo and Flamborough Head;
• The lighthouse and ship are representative of Burlington’s years serving as a lakeport;
• The cow and apple represent our local farming industry and the importance of agricultural growth — something we continue to take great pride in protecting today; and
• The beehive symbolizes the role industry has played and continues to play in our city’s development.

The motto ‘Stand By’ on our crest is also significant — I’ve learned from our local veterans that it’s an old nautical term that means stand with and together to help one another, and to also stand ready for action.