Photo by Stephen Strand
In Calgary,
September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation across Canada, and although the day is not a stat holiday in Alberta, there is still plenty to do during, and after the work day. In Calgary, the annual Orange Shirt Day ceremony will begin at The Confluence at 9am, and will feature Indigenous elders, community leaders and the Calgary Mayor, Jeromy Farkas.
Calgarians can also gather at River Hall, located at 311 Eighth St. SW, next to the 10th St. bridge for the Pokaiks Commemorative Walk. Once the walk is done, participants will be able to take in performances, games and local vendors.
Nearby in Mînî Thnî, another walk will take place, starting at the McDougall Church on Highway 1A, at 10am. Elsewhere in Calgary, the Werklund Centre is hosting a powwow showcase, and their Elder’s Story Project, which is set to begin for 5pm.
Additionally, the Reconciliation Bridge and the Centre Street Bridge will be illuminated orange, alongside the Calgary Tower.
In Lethbridge,
During September 30th, a number of services will be unavailable, or will be curtailed. Some of the notable changes are as follows: City Hall will be closed, with regular hours resuming on October 1st, the Lethbridge 311 Centre will be closed. Residents can use Breezy, the City’s 311 chatbot. The Waste and Recycling Centre will be closed, and the normal Wednesday collection is being moved to Saturday, October 3rd. Community Animal Services, and the Lethbridge Animal Centre will also be closed. Ride on Demand and Fixed Route transit services will be running on a Sunday service.
In Lethbridge, the Buffalo Spirit Games will be taking place, starting as early as 7am. The day will feature an artisan market, sporting events, and a lacrosse tournament. Residents can find the event at the Nicholas Sheran Centre.
In Medicine Hat,
The city plans to have flags outside city hall at half mast for September 30th, and the Sammis Teepee will be lit up orange. The Medicine Hat School Division has said students will be spending the week learning about Truth and Reconciliation, which will be taught by the divisions Indigenous Education team.
There will be an annual walk, which has been taking place since 2021, taking place outside Medicine Hat College. The opening prayers for the walk are scheduled for 5pm. All city offices will be closed for the day, and will reopen October 1st. Transit service, however, will still run from 8:15am to 7:15pm.
There will also be no waste collection, and the landfill will be closed, alongside city recreation facilities, except for the Big Marble Go Centre, which will be open from noon, to 5pm.
In Cochrane,
The community will be able to come together at 1:30pm at the Station at Cochrane Crossing for a Truth and Reconciliation event. The afternoon begins with prayers and blessings, the raising of the Survivors’ Flag. The day is followed by dancing, singing and storytelling. Bannock will also be available to the first 300 attendees!
The Cochrane Public Library will be in attendance, and will be promoting Indigenous writers and stories. Residents are also encouraged to attend the Every Child Matters Walk, taking place at the McDougall Memorial United Church, on Highway 1A.
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