Royal Oak to Mark 90th Anniversary with a Time Capsule

Royal Oak became a city 90 years ago this year and to commemorate the anniversary a committee of community representatives plans to bury a time capsule at the city's library.

The first step for the time capsule project is a tonight at the library. Teenagers are invited to attend from 7-8:30 p.m. to share ideas on what they find to be the most inspiring and interesting things about 2011. Amy Staples, youth and teen librarian, will lead the brainstorm session and take note of their ideas and pass it along to the individuals who make up the time capsule committee.

“We are not making a definitive list of things tonight, just going to see where we can go with it,” Staples said.

Royal Oak resident Jay Dunstan, who pitched the idea to create a time capsule, said the archival box is approximately 2 feet by 3 feet and less than a foot deep, so objects submitted into the time capsule will need to be appropriate in size.

“We are still discussing how we are going to go out to the public and collect these items,” Staples said.

The plan is for the time capsule to be planted in the ground near the butterfly garden on the  lawn on Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. and be dug up in 2046 on the city’s 125th year anniversary.

Just about anything can go into the time capsule,  although Staples said many people suggest not adding electronicsin case the technology is obsolete when it is opened. During the brainstorm session Staples wants the teens to constantly be thinking about the year 2011 and what they think is significant about Royal Oak at this time. She listed a ticket stub to the new Emagine Theatre as an example of something relevant to Royal Oak residents this year.

Dunstan, who is chairing the committee, went on to say that it could be a collection of clothes, a pair of shoes, a menu, newspaper, photographs and more. 

“It’s meant to be a snapshot of Royal Oak in 2011,” said Mary Karshner, library director and time capsule committee member.

The idea for the time capsule was conceived on a trip Dunstan took a couple of years ago. When he was driving through cities on the East Coast, he noticed many of them had signs noting they had planted a time capsule. He thought it was a neat idea and something Royal Oak should look into. So after a few discussions when he got home, he was reminded that the city's 90th anniversary was approaching. He then decided to wait and pitched the idea in January to the library board and then to the Friends of the Library Board, which would be funding the project, and both thought it was a great idea.

“Things just kind of took off,” Dunstan said. “It will be one heck of an event.”

Dunstan hopes this process is a practice run for another time capsule to mark the 100th year for the city of Royal Oak.

“Hopefully the kids that give their input will be able to come back and dig up the time capsule,” Dunstan said. “I know if I’m around I’ll be there.”

In addition to the brainstorming session this evening, there will be other ways for community members to become involved. Many of the details are being discussed, but there will be an art competition that will be tied into the concept and a fundraiser to raise the money needed to collect all of the materials to go into the time capsule.

Dunstan said the fundraiser will take place at the home of Kyle Evans and Michael Chetcuti on July 21, cost $100 to attend and offer high-end delicacies to those in attendance. All proceeds will go to the Friends of the Library, much of which will support the time capsule project.