Emokhare Paul Anthony
Daily Herald
The Prince Albert Indian Metis Friendship Centre presented their vision for a new cultural ground at Little Red River Park during the Feb. 3 executive committee meeting.
The project proposes to include a traditional powwow arbour, seasonal sweat lodge facility, ceremonial hall, cultural stage, land-based classroom and outdoor kitchen – supported by an access road, parking and washroom facilities.
The Friendship Centre’s Director of Youth Services, Shane Bird, was on hand to answer any questions from council. Bird said the area has the potential to be a significant catalyst space to promote and foster reconciliation in the region between all residents.
“This project within the City of PA is a huge stepping stone for Indigenous people in our community and in the surrounding area,” he told council. “We’ve got to think about our future. How are we going to address these issues that we see within an urban setting, especially in Prince Albert? We see a high incarceration rates, gang violence, suicide rates, death due to (drug) overdose or alcohol within our Indigenous population.
“We’re going to see the effects of these grounds for many, many years. It’s going to help address those needs.”
Bird said the plan would allow the Friendship Centre to host cultural programs, celebrations, and ceremonies. He said they’ve already started applying for available funding opportunities to hire a coordinator who can work with local schools to give students access to the site. They have also applied for mental health funding to start hosting traditional land-based healing activities.
Bird said non-Indigenous residents would also be welcome at the site to learn about Indigenous culture.
He described the ground as a critical piece of missing infrastructure in the community, but said there needs to be a partnership with the City to back it work.
“I think we need to try and put our heads together. How can we make this more successful? How can we expedite this process? It should have been done 20-30 years ago, but we’re trying to make it so that it will last a lifetime.”
Council voted unanimously to refer the Friendship Centre’s master plan to the Community Development and Parks, Recreation, and Culture departments. Councillors supported the plan, but raised concerns about transportation.
Bird said they Friendship Centre organized a series of vans to transport people to and from the site during a four-day ceremony last summer. He added that they haven’t settled on a solution, but it is something they are working on.
“We did talk about the City transit. I know (Prince Albert) had the City bus, on some days, doing a trial run … out to Little Red River Park,” Bird told council. “We can definitely look at a bus stop, so to speak, as well. There’s different opportunities there. I know when we did the ceremonies out there we gave a phone number and we had about two or three vans on the go hauling people back and forth, so we are thinking about transportation, and how can we get families and youth out there.
The next Prince Albert city council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 24.
-with files from Jason Kerr/Daily Herald
