At 60, Whitehorse remains a relatively young city compared to some of its centuries-old counterparts in the South.

But that doesn't mean the city is without a proud history which officials are ready to celebrate this weekend.

"The city's is very excited to be celebrating 60 years since its incorporation, and we'd like to share that excitement with the community,” Coun. Doug Graham said in a statement last week, when he was serving as acting mayor.

"In honour of our municipality's 60th birthday, the city is hosting a party on June 5 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Canada Games Centre, and the whole community is invited.”

Children's games, activities throughout the centre, a barbecue, cake, speeches, stories and an evening dance will all be part of the celebration at the Canada Games Centre.

Mayor Bev Buckway was especially looking forward to viewing the historical display that's been set up at the centre in conjunction with the MacBride Museum.

It's "always a thrill,” she said, to view the Whitehorse she knew as a child and see how much the city's changed.

The Canada Games Centre itself is one of those major changes. While many Whitehorse kids today are familiar with a full aquatic centre inside the centre where they can swim in the main pool, go down the waterslide or let the water push them along in the lazy river, the Whitehorse Lions Pool Buckway knew as a child was just that: an outdoor pool behind her aunt's and uncle's house.

A building was later added, making the pool an indoor facility until the city built the current structure on Hamilton Boulevard.

Major events in the city during those early years don't seem to draw the attention they would today.

"I remember when the first street light went up on Main,” Buckway said, recalling it as a big event.

Similarly, the paving of Sixth Avenue that was done during her early years was also a big event. That was especially true for neighbourhood kids who were all told by their moms not to ride their bikes through the fresh asphalt.

"Of course, what did we do?” Buckway said as she recalled joining the other kids in riding her bike through the new asphalt.

While the city might not have had a lot of street lights in those days, it was not without stop signs at the ends of roads, held up in barrels that also hold some great childhood memories for the mayor.

In 1959, when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip visited the territory, a young Buckway waited at one of the stop sign barrels at the corner of Alexander Street and Fourth Avenue. She was hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal couple as they were driven through the city's downtown.

"I got to wave,” Buckway remembered.

Then there were the Saturday trips to the movies that saw Buckway and her friends weave their way through the downtown through the Good Will Cars sign that had holes in it large enough to let a small child's body through.

In those days, Whitehorse was a much smaller city. Areas like Porter Creek were outside city limits, and there was a strong army presence in places like Takhini, Valleyview and Hillcrest.

When the city became incorporated in 1950, it was impossible to imagine where it would be in 60 years as the population grew and the region developed, Buckway said.

When the city was incorporated, there were no water and sewer lines, and the first city council meetings were held in the Northern Commercial building on First Avenue until 1967, when city hall was built on Second Avenue. (An addition was built in the late 1980s.)

Whitehorse succeeded Dawson City as the capital of the territory in 1953, changing the community's political landscape.

As the years passed, roads would be paved, water and sewer services added, neighbourhoods established, the new city hall was built in ‘67 and new buildings at sizes unimaginable in the 1950s for Whitehorse, such as the Canada Games Centre, have been built to serve the community.

Buckway said that while she and others who grew up here will likely take a stroll down Memory Lane as they view the historical display, for newer residents, it will be a chance to see how the city has come to where it is now.

Meanwhile, younger folks who might not just yet have the same appreciation for the city's history will also be celebrating the big 6-0 with the games and activities.

"The whole day is set to be a very family-friendly event,” said Art Manhire, manager of the Canada Games Centre.

"The June 5 event is free of charge with the exception of the charity barbecue, and there will be a shuttle service to the Takhini and Mount McIntyre parking areas to ensure easy access to the facility.”

The free shuttle, he added, is perfect for those looking to take in the Midway Cannuck Amusement carnival that's in town and set up at Takhini Arena with amusement rides, bumper cars and pony rides.

While the carnival, open between now and Tuesday, coincides with the city's birthday bash, Buckway said the city wasn't involved with bringing it to town, though the timing worked out well.

As for what's in store for Whitehorse over the next 60 years, the mayor commented: "It's hard to imagine.”

In 1950, she pointed out, no one could have imagined the communications tools the community would have in 2010.

She suspects communications will continue to change, as will various forms of energy and how homes are heated.

If the population growth of recent years is any indication, the city will continue to look at how to accommodate and plan for that growth in the years ahead.

Plans for the 100th anniversary in 2050 are already well underway.

In 1986, the city buried its first time capsule underground next to the old federal building, where the Elijah Smith Building is now, on Main Street to be dug up for the city's 100th anniversary.

Just where on the site it is though has become an unknown for city officials that they are looking at.

"It just shows how fast the years go by,” Buckway said.

Star archives show the 45-kilogram plastic drum was filled with letters, photos, tapes and other items of the time.

"Most of the items donated were letters, many of them addressed to specific people. Students provided about half the time capsule material,” Betty Obstfeldt, who was the office administrator for Target Downtown, told the Star at the time.

Students tasked with describing Whitehorse at the time wrote about McDonald's, first opened in ‘86, and the Keg restaurant (which has since left Whitehorse).

Others looked to the future; one projecting that the city would become the largest military base in the country by 2050.

"In Whitehorse 1986, there is a lot of junk food and pollution. By 2050, you might be reading this wearing a gas mask,” another wrote.

Other contributions included a set of newly minted 1986 coins from the post office, menus from all the restaurants in town, books, photographs, newspapers and radio tapes.

While that time capsule will represent 1986 Whitehorse, the city is now considering working with the Youth of Today Society on its time capsule proposal.

The youth organization has suggested the project as a fund-raiser where groups and individuals would buy smaller capsules to go in the main project, but it is looking to the city for help in identifying a location for it to be buried until the 100th anniversary.

While the city has yet to decide whether to assist with the project, Buckway said she expects the city will play some role in it.

This time around, she noted, there may be the benefit of GPS technology to keep track of exactly where this time capsule is kept.