Wood Buffalo Residents of all backgrounds are invited to join a community gathering and solidarity walk Wednesday in downtown Fort McMurray in observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The event opens at 10 a.m. at kiyām Community Park, where participants will gather for opening remarks.
At 11 a.m., a solidarity walk will depart, heading north on Franklin Avenue, then east along Morrison Street and Clearwater Drive, before turning west on Hardin Street and looping back to the park. After the walk, light refreshments will be provided.
Attendees can also take part in building a community heart garden by decorating and planting hearts that commemorate children who died in the residential school system and pay tribute to Survivors and their families. Organizers note that each heart stands for remembrance, while the act of planting it reflects an individual pledge toward reconciliation.
The Wood Buffalo area has its own direct ties to these institutions. Holy Angels Residential School ran in Fort Chipewyan until 1974, and Indian day schools operated in Fort Chipewyan, Janvier, and Fort McKay.
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