City approves River Street location for missing and murdered monument

City of Prince Albert and PAGC Women's Commission officials assess the location of a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls monument on Sept. 11, 2020. (Sheryl Kimbley/Facebook)

A Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) monument will soon sit along the riverbank.

Prince Albert city council approved the location—which is near River Street and First Avenue West—at Monday’s meeting. The site is the former home of the Lund Wild Life Exhibit building, which was demolished in 1996.

The project is led by the Prince Albert Grand Council Women’s Commission in partnership with the City of Prince Albert and the Indian and Métis Friendship Centre.

Following the announcement in February, Women’s Commission Chair Shirley Henderson said they wanted a permanent sacred space for friends and family to honour their loved ones. In particular, she said the Women’s Commission wants to use the space at its annual Honouring our Sisters and Brothers Memorial Walk.

She hopes the monument will also spread awareness of a “forgotten issue” in Saskatchewan.

At the city council meeting, Mayor Greg Dionne requested his motion to approve the location be heard. It was approved, and the motion passed unanimously with little discussion.

Dionne said the monument is made and benches are on order, but the City needs to approve the location as part of the application. He added that the women’s commission wanted to make a formal announcement at the beginning of October, which is why the matter needed to be dealt with at Monday’s meeting.

Parks Manager Tim Yeaman suggested the location along River Street after project leaders said they wanted the monument in that general area.

Yeaman scouted the location with them a couple of weeks ago, and they agreed.

with files from Jason Kerr

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