WELLINGTON COUNTY – The local community has taken measures to memorialize the 215 children whose remains were discovered at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.
The discovery of the remains, through a survey of the school grounds by a private firm using ground-penetrating radar, was reported on May 27.
The documented deaths at that site were 50, and new surveys are now discovering that there were many more.
Local commemoration projects include: hanging orange ribbons on a tree at a county facility, placing children’s shoes outside of the Wellington County Museum and Archives, and having flags at half-mast across the rest of the county.
Orange ribbons
Two hundred and fifteen orange ribbons, one for each child whose remains were discovered, were hung on a tree out front of the County of Wellington Social Services building in Fergus on May 31.
The ribbons will stay there until the County of Wellington raises its corporate flags from half-mast.
“This small act of support for our Indigenous community members was to let them know that they are not alone,” stated an email from Fergus program manager Colleen Brunelle, also chair of the Wellington County Indigenous Advisory Committee.
“They have community allies as they cope with ongoing trauma of the residential school system. It is also meant to promote important dialogue and awareness of Indigenous issues that our country must deal with.”
Brunelle explained Indigenous Advisory Committee wishes to provide a resource for those who have struggled with the news of the deaths at the Kamloops school. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) emergency crisis line is currently available 24/7 at 1-800-721-0066 or 1-866-925-4419.
Shoes placed at museum and archives
On May 31 volunteers set shoes in front of the Wellington County Museum and Archives as a memorial to the 215 children whose remains were found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Wellington County councillor Diane Ballantyne and volunteers unloaded shoe donations. Photo by Olivia Rumbell
On May 31 there were children’s shoes laid out at the Wellington County Museum and Archives front gate to create a memorial for the 215 children.
The shoes were donated by members of the community who could come by any time in the 24 hours the memorial was held, from 6:30pm May 31 to 6:30pm June 1.
Volunteers were at the front gates, unloading donations and setting up the memorial. They declined to comment in order to pay respect to the severity of the situation.
Wellington County Warden and Centre Wellington Mayor Kelly Linton first saw the memorial on his June 1 morning bike ride when he passed the museum.
“It was pretty impactful,” said Linton. “[It’s] such a sad situation.”
The flags outside the Centre Wellington municipal office in Elora were lowered to half-mast to pay respect to the 215 children. Photo by Kelly Waterhouse
Noting any parent could only imagine the feeling of tragedy, Linton spoke about why it is important to have these projects in the community, because “as Canadians it’s a part of our history.”
Linton noted that acknowledging this painful history cannot be shied away from, noting, “We have to remember the people who were lost.”
School boards
In an announcement posted on its website, the Upper Grand District School Board stated it will be lowering its flags to half-mast from May 31 to June 7.
“As we collectively mourn this horrific loss, we acknowledge that there cannot be reconciliation without truth,” the board stated.
“The lowering of flags is not enough; substantial work must be done in our communities, schools and systems to face the historical and current atrocities faced by Indigenous communities, and to ensure that Indigenous staff and students are not deprived of their rights, and can learn and work in an environment free of racism and discrimination.
“In the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report there are 94 calls to action. We need to read these documents and do this work.”
On May 30, the Wellington Catholic District School Board announced in a website post by Director of Education Mike Glazier that the board will be lowering its flags as well.
“As a school board we are committed to taking action to live out our responsibilities in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action.
“We will continue to support greater awareness to all students and staff of our collective responsibilities under the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action throughout the month of June.
“Our program department has provided speakers and resources to assist further learning that can be accessed in the weeks ahead.”
