Crier proclaims renewed longevity for trolley

by STEPHANIE WADDELL

A Whitehorse Star Archive story originally published August 9, 2001

The microphone wasn't on, but the approximately 60 people who turned out

behind the local Visitor Information Centre Wednesday afternoon heard loud

and clear the proclamation of Brantford, Ontario's town crier, David McKee.

After being presented as the "audible and laudable" David McKee by Bill

Barnie, the Miles Canyon Historic Railway Society's vice-president, McKee

made his proclamation.

"Oyez!" he began. "Honoured dignitaries, fine folk of Whitehorse, welcome

visitors from near and far. The heritage of rail transportation in

Whitehorse has its roots in the Yukon's Gold Rush time.

"Today, visitors to Whitehorse are entreated to sample that heritage by

boarding the Whitehorse Waterfront Trolley car number 531 and riding the

historic narrow-gauge track of the White Pass and Yukon Route along the

banks of the beautiful Yukon River."

Dressed in a historic town crier's suit and holding a cloth scroll, his

voice rang out through the crowd as he described the current role of the

trolley. The trolley originally operated from 1925 to 1976 in the U.S.

"On behalf of the Miles Canyon Historical Railway Society, it is my

pleasureful duty to proclaim that the Whitehorse Waterfront Trolley Car

number 531 is destined to a renewed longevity in the City of Whitehorse,"

McKee announced.

In honour of the event, trolley rides were free for the remainder of the

day.

But it was not only a proclamation of the railway society that McKee brought

with him; he also extended greetings from Brantford, the home town of hockey

legend Wayne Gretzky.

"Be it known to all fine folk here gathered that I do bring greetings from

the fair, historic City of Brantford, Ont.," he announced as he listed

Brantford's numerous accomplishments including being the birthplace of the

telephone (hence the material of his bell) and as the "tournament capital of

Ontario" among others.

A round of applause went up for McKee's entertaining performance.

McKee, having just returned from the world championships, is ranked as the

second-highest-ranking town crier in Canada. Previous to this, he was ranked

first and placed fourth in the world championships.

In an interview after the performance, McKee noted that while a town's crier

role is of a ceremonial nature now, in the past, the job was the voice of

the messenger in town.

"I often blame it on the invention of the telephone in Brantford," he joked

of the town crier's present role. "If it weren't for the telephone being

invented, you know, the town crier would still have to be the one telling

everyone what's going on."

Over the past few years, McKee has noticed a resurgence in the popularity of

the town crier, which he believes may be in part because people want to know

more about their heritage.

"We try to tie the past and the present together as best we can," he said.

McKee received gifts from the city and the territorial government, as well

as a certificate of appreciation from the Miles Canyon Railway Society that

deemed McKee an honourary trolleyman. The society also gave him a

conductor's hat.

Later this month, McKee will compete in the Ontario provincial

championships.

This was his first trip to Whitehorse.

http://www.whitehorsestar.com/archives/storydetail.lasso?r=39420

Carl