Land blessing ceremony marks redevelopment of park named after 'community kookum'

The sun shone down on as a drum circle marked the beginning of redevelopment of a Centennial neighbourhood park named after self-proclaimed "community kookum" and helper Leslie Spillett.

A crowd gathered Wednesday for a land blessing ceremony at Giizhigooweyaabikwe Park, located at 242 Lizzie St., where $384,000 in upgrades funded by thePoint Douglas Land Dedication Fund and the Canada Community-Building Fund are planned in the coming weeks.

Spillett is of Cree,Mtis, Irish and Scottish descent, and Giizhigooweyaabikwe, or Painted Sky Woman, ishername in Anishinaabemowin.

"I wanted to really inspire people to reclaim their identity, to be proud of who we are as Indigenous people, to celebrate the things that we have that make us special, and in that way I am hoping that this day and all days we'll be able to do that," Spillett said.

"It really asserts our presence on this land and we were alwayshere, we've always been here and we're always going to be here."

The city's standing policy committee voted unanimously in 2018 to rename Lizzie Park to GiizhigooweyaabikwePark to commemorate and honour Spillett's advocacy and dedication to community.

Area Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas) introduced the sacred land blessing Wednesday kicking off redevelopment plans at Giizhigooweyaabikwe, which is surrounded bybyLogan Avenue, Alexander Avenue, Fountain Street and Lizzie Street.

Santos said she carried on efforts of her predecessor, former councillor Mike Pagtakhan, to work with the community on redevelopment.

Part of those plans included demolishingan old wading pool and change roomin February.Next week, construction is expected to beginon a series of enhancements, including a new outdoor water fountain with a bottle fill station, said Santos.

The existing basketball court will be replaced with a half court with children's "drop-shot" basketball.

New seating, a picnic table, chain-link fencing, updated light polesand an asphalt pathway are also being added, Santos said.

The location of the park holds a special place in Spillett's heart. It's a community she feels raised her in many ways, she said.

"Investing in these neighbourhoods ...is really important to me," she said.

WATCH |Land blessing ceremony marks redevelopment of park named after 'community kookum':

Land blessing ceremony marks redevelopment of park named after 'community kookum'

1 year ago

Duration 2:12

The sun shone down on as a drum circle marked the beginning of redevelopment of a Centennial neighbourhood park named after self-proclaimed "community kookum" and helper Leslie Spillett.

Spillett wants the park to be a place that inspires people to take a beat, look up at the sky and "connect with one another, to laugh, to play, to enjoy each other's company in a safe and peaceful way."

There was also community consultation done to get local input on the development of the space, something Spillett said wasimportant because of the large number of Indigenous people who live in the community currently and always have.

She wanted the park named after herAnishinaabemowinname as a way of honour her roots and as a way of "reclaiming the space."

"We always say that the land doesn't belong to us, we belong to the land, and so when we belong to the land that means that we have to be in relationship with the land," she said.

"We also belong to the community, so the community is not separate from us, and so it's good to kind of celebrate this time and day and the beauty of this day."

Drita Princelives nearby on Alexander Avenue with her kids andtook her son Rodi to the ceremony.

"It's good to have everybody in the community coming together getting to know each other," she said."It's good to have something close by within walking distance, a safe place for the kids and something for them to do."

Dana Connolly grew up on Alexander near Ellen Street a couple blocks away.

"When I look at a sign that has Anishinaabemowin,I feel like I am represented as an Indigenous woman, as an Anishinaabewoman, I feel like I belong here," said Connolly. "Our people have beenhere since time immemorial and so having a space carved out in the inner city with our languages, with our words, makes it feel like home."