Calgary,
06
May
2025
|
10:24
America/Denver

Public engagement on The City’s Indian Residential School Memorial project now open

The City of Calgary is now inviting the public to participate in the second phase of engagement for the Indian Residential School (IRS) Memorial Project. From May 6 to May 17, 2025, Calgarians are encouraged to view four proposed design concepts and provide feedback about which design resonates most with them. This phase of engagement will help guide an independent jury towards the selection of a final design and future recommendation for Council.

The public can provide feedback in person by attending one of the following sessions at The Confluence Historic Site & Parklands, 750 9 Ave S.E.:

  • Thursday, May 8 – 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Monday, May 12 – 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, May 14 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 17 – 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The designs will be available online on the IRS Memorial Project Engage page, where Calgarians can also provide feedback if unable to attend an in person session.

“The IRS Memorial Project is an important part of Calgary’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. By participating in this engagement, community members can play a role in shaping a space that will stand as a symbol of remembrance, reflection, and healing for generations to come,” says Lorelei Higgins, Leader, Indigenous Relations Office. 

This engagement is an opportunity for the public to reflect on the proposed designs. All feedback will be shared with an independent jury at the end of May. This jury will consider the feedback as they select the design recommended to Council. The winning design is expected to be announced in late June.

The IRS Memorial Project was initiated in 2021, following the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation’s discovery of the remains of 215 children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. In response, community members created a temporary memorial on the steps of Calgary’s Municipal Building — a powerful symbol of grief and the call for a permanent space for reflection.

The project planning is occurring in partnership with The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland, under the guidance of the IRSM Indigenous Elders Advisory Board, and in collaboration with Indigenous communities, survivors, and intergenerational survivors, ensuring their voices and leadership are central to every step of the process.

For more information and to participate, visit the IRS Memorial Project Engage page at https://engage.calgary.ca/IRSMemorial or attend one of the public engagement sessions in person.

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