Monument commemorating Assiniboia Residential School unveiled in Winnipeg
CTV
Former students of Assiniboia Residential School were honoured Friday at the unveiling of a commemorative monument and gathering place on Academy Road.
Former students of Assiniboia Residential School were honoured Friday at the unveiling of a commemorative monument and gathering place on Academy Road.
Assiniboia Residential School was one of only a few urban residential schools in Canada and the first residential high school in Manitoba. Between 1958 and 1973, more than 765 students attended Assiniboia, mainly from Manitoba communities where there were no high schools.
Survivors from Assiniboia are being recognized at the site with their names displayed on paving stones. Each of their 85 home communities is represented by an etched, tinted metal marker. Phase two of the site’s construction will complete electrical work, add educational signage, and finish the landscaping.
Elder Betty Ross, Assiniboia Residential School survivor and co-chair of the Assiniboia Residential School Legacy Group board, was at the unveiling.
"We are witnessing the impacts of stories shared by the students who attended Assiniboia Residential School from 1958-1973," said Ross in a news release. "Difficult life journeys often lead to beautiful destinations, hence this lasting Commemorative Monument that depicts the Legacy of Truth, Honour, Respect and Resilience for generations to come."
The site is open to the public and available for the community to gather and learn in the spirit of reconciliation.
