City to consider old media as part of its outreach program. Town crier might be added to the mix.

By Pepper Parr

Burlington’s Committee of the Whole is going to get a chance to decide if the channels through which they communicate with the public and people who visit Burlington should be increased.

What do you think of the city having an Official Town Crier? Oh, and you want a council member in wooden stocks outside city hall as well? I’m afraid the wooden stocks will not be in any budget that gets created for this.

The committee will be given a report suggesting four possible choices:

1. Adopt an Official Town Crier Program and ask that it be run through Museums of Burlington
2. Appoint an Official Town Crier to a Volunteer Position
3. Rely on the Ontario Guild of Town Criers
4. Do not adopt an Official Town Crier and rely on Student Theatre to provide performers.

City council to be given four options for a Town Crier. One is to do nothing; one will cost next to nothing. Which will they choose?

We thought the city was going to hold a contest but city hall staff don’t seem interested in that route. So appointing someone is OK – but who decides and what the criteria will be in making a decision?

The Museum people could certainly run the program. Going with the Ontario Guild of Town Criers will cost more than Councillors Taylor or Dennison will want to shell out.

Using a student would be nice but that would mean coming up with the several thousand it costs to stitch together the uniform.

City council to be given four options for a Town Crier. One is to do nothing; one will cost next to nothing. Which will they choose?

David Vollick, who hails from the Aldershot part of the city, delegated to council with the idea. Showed up in full costume and cut quite a figure. If we end up with a Town Crier – credit for the idea has to go to him. Looks like a pretty goof Crier but we don’t know yet what else is out there.

Anybody with a good set of lungs and a bell – plus the uniform of course.