New crosswalk in Kitchener to honour young lives lost at residential schools

A new crosswalkwith the message "every child matters"will be painted along Water Street at Jubilee Drive in Kitchener next month.

For Indigenous community members, it's a way of honouring the hundreds of young lives that have been lost at residential schools across Canada.

"I knew this crosswalk could be a healing place for many," said Sheena Merling, who is a part of a local group behind the crosswalk project.

"It's a popular area that many people know. It's Victoria Park, not too far from the statue. It's a humbling thought that [the crosswalk]shows community members that we can all heal together."

"Having this space there is really important," said Zachary Stevens from LoveMyHood, a municipal initiative that helps fund community-ledevents and projectsin Kitchener.

"It demonstrates not only the city's support of this kind of thing but it gives a place for folks to reflect on what the 'every child matters' movement really means to them and the communities they move through."

Stevens said the project will help the city work towardreconciliation and community-building.

"There's a lot of work to do ahead of us to remain deeply invested in building these kinds of relationships with local Indigenous communities, said Stevens. "The city was in full support and really wanted to support this Indigenous-led group with their vision with creating this tribute in the park."

Walking toward truth and reconciliation

Merling said she's hoping the new crosswalk will help community members reflect.

"I think walking that path shows that we can walk towardtruth and reconciliation... By doing this, we're showing each other that we all matter at the end of the day," she said.

The artwork on the crosswalkwill be based on the official 2022 design from the Orange Shirt Society. It was created byGeraldine Catalbas, a high school studentfrom Ponoka, Alberta.

"The shoes represent the children who died in residential schools," Catalbas said in a statement describing her work. "The shoe lace coming off into an eagle representing their freedom up in the heaven and their fight through difficult times."

Merling said the project was funded through a grant from the Love My Hood initiative and made possible through a partnership with the Orange Shirt Society. Stevens said there will be security present to prevent any attempts of vandalism before the unveiling ceremony next month.

There will be an official unveiling ceremony for the crosswalk on Sept. 16at the old city hall clock tower in Victoria Park.

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 atwww.hopeforwellness.ca.