Dear Editor
“Without tradition, life is as shaky as a fiddler on the roof.” Tevya
Traditions are customs passed down from generation to generation, and for many of us the very best traditions are the ones that help to define our community. New Westminster is a city steeped in traditions. Its rich and unique traditions make it a special place to live. Its traditions help to make it a place of merit, and majesty and pride.
New Westminster’s traditional May Day celebration is the oldest of its kind in the British Commonwealth. Our maypole dancers, Lancers and the Hyack Anvil Battery, along with our Remembrance Day ceremonies, legendary Salmonbellies and numerous ethnic celebrations, all help to keep us connected to the past.
Our traditions are the manifestation of our heritage. They are the ties that bind. They ground us. They are the soul of our city woven into its cultural fabric. Our traditions bring us together as a community, and help to fulfil our lives. Our traditions remind us of our most important values.
Our traditions build bonds between our children and their parents and grandparents. They give our children positive, life-long memories and a sense of security and stability. They help to provide our children with a perspective on the passage of time.
We of the Royal City must continue to open our hearts to new traditions. Yet we must always remember that no tradition can exist of its own accord. Instead, and always, each of our Royal City traditions must be embraced and nurtured if they are to be kept alive and vibrant.
Don Benson, City of New Westminster Poet Laureate Emeritus
