Another tradition destroyed

The new Mayor of Cobourg warned us he would be different, and one of his first actions shows it. I am talking about his decision to cancel the Mayor's New Year's Levee and replace it, two days later with a 'meet and greet'. His reasoning is that because it is a Sunday Staff will have to be there overnight - where he got that from nobody knows probably from the Staff who don't want to work on the weekend. Just remember we have had Levees on the Weekends for years!

Just one adjustment to this post, the reference to the Town Crier was wrong - She is being allowed to be there and cry. How that will fit in with a bunch of people at a soiree is to be determined by those who are there eating off charcuteries and sipping wine. 

Now I realise that sometimes cultures and traditions have to be changed to reflect changing times but in order to remain constant some traditions should stay. But this change is one change too far. No more trudging up the Vic Hall stairs to be met by a line of people starting with berobed Mayor and the phalanx of Councillors. No more staid speeches, no more Town Crier, no more Poet Laureate, no more uniforms, no more Concert Band tunes, no more meeting of the usual Town personalities and the greatest crime of all - no more egg salad sandwiches. These will be replaced by a Jazz band and wine to be sipped by people standing around as the tradition of eating those sandwiches at round tables  is offensive to the 'New Order'.

I also realise that the new mayor dislikes the trappings of office, he had to be reminded by the last mayor that he should wear the chain of office at official times. He also appeared on Remembrance Day without a tie - a total lack of respect for the occasion. But this is one change he should hear about from his Citizens.

Now perhaps I am both dating myself and showing up as a 'behind the times fuddy-duddy' but the destruction of the Occasion - the Levee, is too much. This move will be unique, Has Queen's Park cancelled theirs, has Ottawa cancelled theirs - No. I bet the Town Crier will be crying about not having to write a new Cry. The Concert Band will now have to find something else to do on New Year's Day and the Mayor will not have to stand in front of his people and be accountable with his speech for the New Year - sad.