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Orange crosswalk honouring Indigenous children lost to residential school coming to Orangeville

June 30, 2021   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

Orangeville Council unanimously supported a motion on Monday (June 29) to add an orange crosswalk at the intersection of First Street and Broadway to commemorate all of the Indigenous children who were stolen from their families and forced to attend residential school.

The crosswalk is to be installed by Sept. 30 at a cost of up to $10,000.

Coun. Lisa Post brought the motion forward, noting that the Dufferin County Cultural Resource Circle (DCCRC) and local elders have been consulted and support the initiative.

“To have this crosswalk serves as an important step towards reconciliation in our community,” she said.

The design for the crosswalk that the DCCRC came up with features white lines along the border and orange on the inside with a white feather stenciled on top.

“That was approved through that organization as well as through the elders… and that way it’s not just an orange crosswalk,” said Coun. Post.

She noted that it’s a delicate time for Canadians as the searches for graves at former residential school sites continues and that when these searches are complete there could be a plaque added by the crosswalk to commemorate all of the children who were lost. The plaque could also include some history and this way, it would serve as an educational piece as well, Coun. Post explained.

September 30, the date which the orange crosswalk is to be installed by, is the first National Day For Truth and Reconciliation as well as Orange Shirt Day.

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