Dear editor:
This town sure has its landmarks, but what truly gives Niagara-on-the-Lake its soul are the people who bring its history and spirit to life. One such person is our town crier.
Clad in his crimson coat and brass-buckled hat, bell in hand, he marches down Queen Street with the confident swagger of someone who owns the moment.
His voice booms with authority, yet his eyes twinkle with mischief, delighting visitors and loyal locals alike. He turns every proclamation into a performance.
Bold and theatrical, he is a one-man stage production and the heartbeat of this town. A blend of historian and entertainer, he embodies the town’s spirit in every dramatic pause and emphatic shout, his performance a living echo of history.
But beneath the public flourish, there’s a depth and quiet intrigue that hints at a person as layered as the town he calls to.
As a tour guide, I have the joy of bringing visitors from far and wide to experience the charm of Old Town. Without fail, the highlight of every tour is when our town crier hops aboard my chartered bus at the Fort George parking lot to offer his spirited welcome.
“Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! My lordships, my worships, my parsnips, and my fish and chips… my earlesseses, my dutchesseses, my princesseses, and my mistresseses !”
In full regalia, he rhymes off the many sights and unique treasures of our postcard-perfect town, leaving every visitor instantly aware that they have indeed arrived somewhere very special.
As part of his welcome, he paints a vivid picture of what makes this town so beloved — “The prettiest town in North America, home of the Shaw Festival, a rich variety of music and art and cherry, peach and strawberry festivals…”
He invites visitors to bicycle to local wineries with gourmet restaurants, golf at the oldest golf course, take a horse-drawn carriage through streets steeped in history, or simply people-watch while enjoying an ice cream or a coffee.
In doing so, he becomes a living billboard for the small businesses that make Niagara-on-the-Lake flourish.
To me, he is Old Town. His booming voice, infectious enthusiasm, and love for this community weave together the living history that makes Niagara-on-the-Lake so enchanting.
When I think of this town, I think of our town crier standing proudly on the Courthouse steps, part of the same beloved landscape as the gazebo by the lake, the cenotaph, the gracious homes, and the beautiful gardens that define Old Town.
One day, his voice will fall silent — and when it does, we will miss that which completed our picture-perfect postcard and how deeply it was woven into the spirit of this town.
Unlike the heritage buildings we can protect for future generations, unique treasures like our town crier must be appreciated in real time. Once he is gone, we cannot resurrect what he brought to life. His presence, his spirit, his persona — they are irreplaceable.
Let’s celebrate him now, with the appreciation and affection he has wholeheartedly earned while we still have the privilege of hearing his voice ring out through Old Town.
Debra Rowe
NOTL
