Burlington hands out keys to the city, honours volunteers in night of civic recognition

When Gordon Deppe and Sandy Horne came together to start the band The Spoons at Aldershot High School in 1979, they performed in talent shows against another student who told jokes, named Jim Carrey. 

In the years since, The Spoons have performed all over the world, and received a key to the city of Burlington in a civic recognition ceremony on Monday night at city hall. 

“The key is more of a work of art, it’s like stained glass and steel,” Deppe said. “I don’t think it opens anything though.”

During the ceremony, the city honoured eight individuals and groups for their civic work, and gave two keys to the city – the other going to longtime Burlington resident Dan Lawrie, known for organizing the Burlington Waterfront Sculpture Trail among many other initiatives. 

Lawrie said he is proud of the work that he has done over the years, and that it has been a culmination of efforts. He knows it was not one single thing that he did to earn the key. 

“Just constantly being involved in the community and giving back,” Lawrie said. “We made our living and raised our family here, it’s an honour and a privilege to be able to be in a position to give back to the community.”

Each of the recipients was introduced with a short speech by Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, and presented with a certificate. 

“This is a way for us to honour and recognize people who do incredible things,” Meed Ward said. “They don’t do it for the accolades, they do it to make our city a better place.”

The civic recognition recipients include the Burlington Historical Society, Connie Price, Helga Cuddy, Jamie Fisher, Janet Lucas, Kimberly Calderbank, Peter Knoepfi, and the Rural Ward 6 Advisory Committee. 

Connie Price previously was awarded with the federal government’s Platinum Jubilee Community Hero Award for 55 years of volunteer work in Burlington. Price primarily works with and advocates for the well-being of seniors. 

“It’s very humbling,” Price said. “Of all the awards I have received, this one means the most to me because this is my community that I’ve been volunteering in for 57 years. It means a lot.”

Price even accepted her certificate of recognition wearing her Jubilee pin, and a Canada-150 pin she received from the province for her volunteer work, but stands by the civic recognition being the most important award she has received. 

“This is Burlington, and I’m Burlington.”