Hundreds turn out for unveiling of Every Child Matters crosswalk in Victoria Park
More than 6,300 orange footprints painted on paths along park that leads to crosswalk, reflection area
An orange crosswalk painted with the words "Every Child Matters" was officially unveiled in Victoria Park Friday afternoon.
The crosswalk, placed at the Water Street and Jubilee Drive intersection in downtown Kitchener, is to honour the lives lost at former residential schools across Canada.
Sheena Merling is behind the Every Child Matters Honorary Crosswalk project. She said for her, it was more than just a project. It was a "calling," as she continues her own journey toward healing and reconciliation.
Ahead of the unveiling ceremony, Merling said she was "still in disbelief that this is happening."
"Waves of emotions and there's no exact feeling. All I know is that I have to keep being present in the moment," Merling told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition.
More than 6,300 orange footprints were painted on paths along Victoria Park over the summer that led to the crosswalk and to a reflection area, where a single bench sits at the centre.
"It led you to that bench, where you can sit down, take a breath, sit with the grandparents and reflect with the crosswalk as well as the water to let go of those emotions we carry silently," she said.
Before a large crowd gathered for the unveiling on Friday, Merling held a smaller ceremony when the crosswalk was finally completed earlier this week.
She walked across together with Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Myeengun Henry and Ben Willsteed, who is a Fire Keeper at Crow Shield Lodge.
"We felt so many different emotions, people wanting to understand, people supporting," she said.
"As they were placing it on the ground, it reminded me of the [footprints]. When we first started I was scared, but then as we completed it, I knew it was just a beautiful start to a new beginning."
Hundreds gathered at Victoria Park
Hundreds of people wearing orange shirts gathered Friday afternoon for the ceremony, led by Henry. There were several elders and guest speakers who spoke at the event, including members of the Orange Shirt Society who came from B.C to take part.
"Being here today, seeing this, makes my heart strong," said Shannon Henderson, president of the Orange Shirt Society and a residential school survivor.
Following in Merling's footsteps, Henderson said the society will aim to make the orange crosswalk a national movement.
"This is not the last crosswalk that we're going to be doing. We're going to go national," she said.
Several nearby schools also sat in on the ceremony. Students wore orange shirts and some classrooms even made signs for the occasion, like Kenya Stewart's Grade 5/6 students at Suddaby Public School.
"We've been talking a lot about truth and reconciliation and our kids are so passionate about recognizing what's happened and learning about the past," Stewart said. "We felt it was important to give these kids a powerful experience."
As an Afro-Indigenous woman herself, Stewart said it was hard not to get emotional seeing how many people came out.
"It's hard not to cry and I think everyone is feeling that way. Finally being able to recognize what happened and have people believe the story is huge," she said.
First steps on path to reconciliation
Merling told CBC News she sees the partnerships and connections formed during the development of the project as the first steps on the path to reconciliation.
"I can't speak for every person because everyone is on their own healing journey as I am, but what I was reminded of this morning when I sat here, I sat in the darkness, that the heart will build bridges to other peoples' hearts," she said.
"We'll feel the love from the children. We'll see the allies and the Indigenous community come together. We'll see the connections that have been made."
Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools or by the latest reports.
A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
Mental health counselling and crisis support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.