t all began in 1988 – when Ramesh Rattan of Cheetam and Rattan Architects Inc., had the idea of developing a time capsule to commemorate North Battleford’s 75th anniversary. He received sponsorship for the project and the 1988 time capsule was created to be opened at the city’s 100th celebration in 2013.
There it sat for all that time on the corner of 101st Street and 13th Avenue.
What was held in this capsule was a great mystery, as no “list of contents” was found in any records at City Hall or the City Archives. It was meant to create a lot of excitement and that it did. There were many speculations on what might be in the capsule and the opening was a much-anticipated event.
Twenty-three years later on May 1, 2013 at the City of North Battlefords 2013 centennial birthday party in Central Park, the 1988 time capsule was opened.
What an exciting day, giving contact with our community 25 years ago. The contents were shown to the public and then documented and preserved at the City of North Battleford Historic Archives.
So then began the planning of the next capsule with the 2013 Centennial Historical Committee consisting of chairman Gil Bellavance, Larry Romanow, Harvey Cashmore, Leola Macdonald, Jane Shury, Richard Hiebert and Tammy Donahue Buziak. An invitation was sent out to members and businesses of the community to purchase an envelope and to put items in the time capsule that would be buried to commemorate our 100th year as a city.
Finally after a year of celebration and collecting envelopes, we began the task of filling the centennial time capsule. The City of North Battleford Historic Archives Volunteer Committee and I spent a week documenting and organizing the material.
So what’s in the capsule? It contains: 259 personal envelopes; 1938 panoramic picture; 2013 panoramic picture; centennial posters; 2013 newspapers; centennial flag; centennial key chains, buttons, pins, coins; postcards; original 2013 centennial song; centennial historical play; penny collection; 2013 circulated and uncirculated coins; stamps; birthday cards; cellphone screen saver; Furkin’ Beaver from the Amazing Race; school art; poems; pictures; Lego; games; pay stubs; passports; drivers’ licences; biographies; 2013 North Battleford mayor’s letter; 2013 Battleford mayor’s letter; books; part of the original 1988 time capsule; 1988 mayor’s letter, 1988 buttons, coins, banner, and many, many more things.
So for the next 99 years this time capsule will rest quietly in the ground for the next generation to open on May 01, 2113. It is imagined that a lot will change in our community during this amount of time, but when it is opened, we will certainly give our future generation a good idea of who we were when we celebrated the City of North Battleford’s centennial in 2013.
