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KITCHENER AMBASSADOR VIP PROGRAM BEING DEVELOPED
City councillor offers free tours of city hall

By Carrie Debrone
Kitchener Citizen​
   Ever wondered what’s on the 10th floor of Kitchener City Hall, what it would feel like to sit in the mayor’s chair, or what the city councillors’ offices look like?
   Wonder no more.
   Now you can take a free tour of city hall with Ward 10 Kitchener Councillor Dan Glenn-Graham as your personal tour guide.
   Graham, who gave his first public tour of city hall a few weeks ago to a group of about ten friends and family, said he is hoping neighbourhood groups, sports associations, local schools, visiting tourists, new Canadians and service clubs will take advantage of his offer.
   “So many people are never exposed to city hall, and even if they have been here, they likely have not been behind the scenes. The tour will give them a chance to envision what it would be like to be a councillor or the mayor.”
   “I want people to see that city hall is not just a place to come to complain or just somewhere you go if you’re unhappy about something. I want to connect them to city hall on a personal level,” Graham said.
   “I’m an action kind of guy and I want to try to do something different every year for our city. I believe that one of Kitchener’s greatest strengths is its friendliness, and this kind of tour will show that. It’s kind of like a “Jane’s Walk” for city hall,” he said.
Graham’s half an hour tour takes visitors to the council chambers to see where council meets, with the chance to sit in the horseshoe’s chairs and use the microphones. Visitors will also see the councillors’ offices, the mayor’s office and tour the tenth floor. Graham also points out some of the prominent architectural features of the 20-year-old city hall and gives each person on the tour a City of Kitchener pin.
   Graham said he will also be showing his tour groups the historic ballot, hanging beside the mayor’s office, used when Berlin changed its name to Kitchener.
   “I’m just starting out, but I’m quite excited about it,” he said, adding that he would be willing to schedule tours for groups of up to 12 people at a time after work - at 5 or 5:50pm - or following the dinner hour at 7 or 8pm. He may also be able to deliver daytime tours if a group specifically requests that time.
   “I want to give people the chance to dream a little bit – to see the cityscape from the 10th floor. It opens up your imagination,” he said.
  “It’s pretty cool what you can do in a half an hour. I’m planning to just ad lib and go with information that each group is individually interested in. I want to make it as light-hearted and fun as I can. I think people learn more when they’re having fun,” he said.
   “When the first group I took through got to the council chambers, they were really shy. But, then they really got into it. They were using the mics and really expressing themselves very well. I think they loved it,” he said.
   Graham said he hopes people will consider making his tour a focal point of their planned social gatherings.
   “People look for an excuse to get together and socialize or go out. Taking one of these tours could kick start a great night out in the city. It’s not a huge time commitment and there’s no hard sell involved. It’s just a relaxing thing to do on a night out with friends,” he said.
He’s hoping that school groups will also want to take the tour.
   “I see it as an investment in our youth. I think it will make civic education real for kids and I hope it will make them more aware that voting is important. For some, it may even inspire them to consider a career in politics,” he said.
   And, Graham is hoping to grow his tour idea into a two-part VIP Ambassador program.
   In celebration of the city’s centennial, he is working towards setting up a pilot Ambassador program project, which he hopes will attract local well-known people who would act as city ambassadors and give tours, not only of city hall but perhaps of other well-known Kitchener sights too.
   “When I go to another city, I want someone who can take me around and show me the prominent things in the city. It just enhances the whole experience of travelling to that place and allows you to get a real feel for the city. Maybe even people who live here would be interested in this type of tour.”
   “It could make tourists of us all and we could get to know our city a little better,” Graham said.
   In an attempt to attract interest in organizing the pilot project, Graham has met with several city groups, including Oktoberfest organizers, and may be bringing his idea to council in a resolution.
   He has also approached downtown businesses and the BIA to see if there is interest in giving out coupons for local stores to anyone who takes a city tour.
   The second part of his VIP Ambassador’s plan, would be to offer a “Mayor for a Day” program to local grade 8 students.
   Graham said youth could apply through their schools to be Mayor of Kitchener for a day and learn first hand what the mayor does, and explore what and how decisions are made on major issues.
   “Just look at the dismal voter turnout in recent elections. If we don’t get kids interested in the city and politics earlier they won’t learn how important it is to be a citizen and how to participate in the life of their city.”
   “There is so much going on downtown and I think this kind of program corresponds to the beginning of a whole new era for Kitchener,” Graham said.
   There is still much work to be done to get the Ambassador program off the ground, so for now Graham said he is content to “take off a bite-sized chunk” and start with his personally conducted tours of city hall.
   “If I get too many groups then I’ll ask for help from the other councillors,” he said smiling.