City council will sit with members of Red Deer’s aboriginal community in a reconciliation circle to restore lost trust after council rejected the proposal to build affordable housing and a cultural centre site in Clearview Ridge.
Scheduled for Thursday, the circle will allow the aboriginal community to share the decision’s impact and a chance for council to explain the reasons and difficulties behind making the decision.
Following strong opposition from Clearview Ridge residents who voiced concerns about being left in the dark about the project and fears of increased crime and loss of property value, city council rejected the site on Oct. 16.
Tanya Schur, executive director of the Red Deer Native Friendship Society, said the circle will allow the aboriginal community to be heard in its traditional way.
“Public hearings and open houses aren’t our way,” said Schur. “Talking circles are our way. . . . If we do that work, the friendship society can come together with the city and talk about options in a good way.”
City council directed administration to come back in four weeks with options for other sites in the city.
Mayor Morris Flewwelling said there will likely be a progress report at the meeting.
He said the project will likely move slowly forward because there has to be healing.
“I think there’s a lot of hurt in the aboriginal community,” said Flewwelling. “I think it’s important for us to regroup and get it right.”
In June, the Central Alberta aboriginal community bestowed a Cree name on Flewwelling to honour and recognize his long-standing commitment to the community.
He was named Mountain Eagle, or Asiniw-waci Kihew in Cree. At the time, Flewwelling said it was one of “most important and memorable” days of his life. The naming is one of the most sacred and highest honours by the aboriginal community.
About 120 people, including council, city administration and members of the aboriginal community, are invited to participate in the circle. The Native Counselling Services of Alberta will facilitate.
Schur said the reconciliation circle will restore a right relationship, where people trust one another and gain a greater understanding of what has occurred between the parties.
“I don’t think any one party had all the information,” said Schur. “And that contributed to where we have ended up with everybody losing. Certainly the only people who didn’t lose were the neighbours of Clearview, sadly. Certainly council has lost credibility in our community.”
The proposed centre is to include 16 units of housing and a gathering space for aboriginal celebrations, meeting space for community and visiting elders, daycare, aboriginal support services, a community garden and other spaces. The city has been in talks with the friendship society for several years to help with their vision.
“It may be a long slow process but I have a funding agreement with my funder (provincial government) until March 31,” Schur. “I want to have shovels in the ground by spring before my funder looks at my project stalled again and says why do we keep extending this project when there is such a great need for housing in Alberta?”
The friendship society received roughly $2.6 million from the province for its housing project.
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com