Weeknd and SGA honoured: What it means to get a key to the city

CBC

4 days ago

Cities give out symbolic keys to honour notable people
A couple of famous Canadians were given the keys to their cities recently.
Getting the key to a city is a big honour. But what exactly does it mean? Does it unlock something?
On July 26, Abel Tesafaye, a.k.a The Weeknd, was given the key to his hometown of Toronto, Ontario.
And on Aug. 7, Hamilton, Ontario, celebrated 'Shai Day.' Mayor Andrea Horwath gave the key to the city to NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Weeknd received the key in a private ceremony at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario. (Image credit: Courtesy of XO)
According to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, The Weeknd received his key for his contributions to music, social issues and culture.
'He has reshaped modern music while using his platform to support health and humanitarian causes at home and around the world,' she said in a statement.
Gilgeous-Alexander receives the key to the city in front of a crowd at Hamilton Stadium. (Image credit: Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press)
Gilgeous-Alexander was given his key for his accomplishments as a basketball player. This past season, he led his team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, to the NBA championships and was named the league's MVP.
"It's a symbolic gesture of the deep pride and admiration Hamilton holds for one of its own," Horwath said in a statement.
What does a key to the city unlock?
These days, a key to the city doesn'tactually unlock anything — it is just symbolic.
In modern times, cities give out keys as a way to recognize notable individuals or groups.
However, the key to the city has medieval origins — and back then, those keys definitely unlocked something.
In medieval and ancient times, cities were often surrounded by walls, and access to the cities was strictly controlled by locked gates.
If someone was given the key to the city back then, it meant they were trusted or important enough to come and go as they pleased, unlocking the gates to the city.