The Wawanosh Monument is located at the intersection of Great Northern Road and Willoughby Street on the property owned by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25.The monument was built in 1967 to commemorate the location of the former Wawanosh Indian Residential School – a girl’s residential school to accommodate Aboriginal girls.
This project was being undertaken to restore the monument and to enhance the area by building a place for community members and visitors to visit and gather, thereby enhancing economic health within our community by promoting our city’s arts, culture, historic and heritage sites.
This project also supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 79 which calls for the commemoration of Residential School sites and history and working with Indigenous organizations to recognize what has happened. The Royal Canadian Legion is supporting this initiative on behalf of the Children of Shingwauk and both groups want the local Survivors or visiting Survivors, their families, and loved ones to have a place of quiet reflection.
On May 29th, 2024 the CSAA, the Community Support Team and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 hosted a groundbreaking ceremony led by Survivor John Saylorswith a planting party to commemorate the beginning of the construction of the memorial. We also took the opportunity to recognize the contribution of the 2310 Army Cadet Corps, who participated in the Vimy Ridge March this year and raised $1,650.00, which they generously donated to the CSAA for the memorial. These youth will also provide in-kind clean-up and maintenance to the memorial as they are committed to being actively engaged in activities that promote reconciliation.
We had a surprise visit from Gary Anandasangree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs of Canada as well as local MP Terry Sheehan who graciously assisted in planting our sacred medicines in planter boxes created by a local Indigenous carpenter (too humble to want to be named in this publication).
The intent of this sacred space is to create visibility, curiosity for those passing by, and will serve as an educational piece to reach our schools and youth by providing teachable moments regarding the history of Residential Schools by using inviting and educational features to create awareness to the general public.
This initiative is to honor the children who attended these schools and become part of the truth telling tours of the former Shingwauk Indian Residential School now known as Algoma University.
On the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation the commemoration of the restoration of the monument and the creation of a healing garden with a shaded communal space to enhance the area for community members and visitors to gather was publicly unveiled!
This event provided opportunities for attendees to participate in community engagement, to connect with Survivors, learn the history of the Wawanosh and Shingwauk Residential Schools, the CSAA, and learn how to become active partners on the path of reconciliation.
Our attendees included:
While this project restores a historical site in our city to honor and recognize a landmark that has been essentially lost over the years, this project will educate both the community and visitors of the historical and original land use.
With this landmark, the combined participation will also further support the recognition of Indigenous Veterans, support healthy relationships within the community by building upon collaborative efforts of the local Legion, and the Children of Shingwauk. In doing so, it will continue to cultivate and expand relationships that encourage participation of both Indigenous and non-Indigneous groups in the ceremonies and cultural activities of each.