Residents and community members share time together near the apartment complex at Asooahum Crossing. (Supplied)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

national indigenous peoples day

City makes ‘historic’ contribution towards next phase of Asooahum Crossing

Jun 22, 2021 | 6:00 AM

On National Indigenous Peoples Day, Red Deer city council committed $730,000 to the Red Deer Native Friendship Society (RDNFS).

The decision comes after nine years of work by a joint steering committee formed to see through the Asooahum Crossing project. That committee was present for council’s debate, on top of a smudge and prayer given by Elder John Sinclair, and a land acknowledgment by Mayor Tara Veer to start the proceedings.

$590,000 of the funding completes a 2016 agreement related to a property in Clearview Ridge originally identified for Asooahum Crossing. That land cannot be sold at a price that matches a 2014 appraisal at this time, so the City is honouring the amount and will sell later.

Proceeds from that sale will be spent on outstanding development/infrastructure costs. The remainder will purchase parkland or trees to offset what was removed from the Riverside Drive site where Asooahum Crossing was ultimately built. Worth $957,000 in 2014 figures, the City gave that property to RDNFS for $1.

The remaining $140,000 is for a partnership grant for phase two of Asooahum Crossing. It’s anticipated the money will be leveraged provincially and federally to obtain additional funding.

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Asooahum Crossing’s first phase included an eight-plex affordable housing structure, intended mostly to help Indigenous people, but open to anyone who needs housing.

Lianne Hazell, RDNFS executive director, says phase two will include an Indigenous cultural centre open to all Red Deerians. Phase two’s vision will also include a new multi-generational housing set-up.

“When people drive down that way, they can see the sweat lodge when it’s up, they can see the land and they’re sometimes not feeling welcome to come down and explore because it’s very obviously a parking lot with residents,” she says. “Of course we’ll always keep that safe, but at the same time, we want to create this additional node to the whole park system, where people can come, be there and use it to understand, be educated and have fun. Think of it as a destination much like Kerry Wood Nature Centre or Fort Normandeau.”

Hazell believes this is a significant step by the municipality towards reconciliation.

“It’s been incredible reconciliation work by this committee. It’s been challenging at times and the conversations were difficult, but we had them with kindness and respect, even when it got heated,” she says. “Today was a symbol of what we have achieved during the last nine years … (but) this is not the end.”

Four years ago on June 21, 2017, city council signed a protocol agreement with the Urban Aboriginal Voices Society calling for equity, leadership, collaborative action, participation and diversity when it comes to the local Indigenous community working with the The City of Red Deer.

Looking back at the Asooahum Crossing process involving the Clearview Ridge site, Veer called it “traumatic” for people and referred to the racism that bared itself.

“This project has been an important part of our local journey of Truth and Reconciliation. Today marks a new milestone, with a partnership agreement created to help facilitate phase two of the cultural vision of Asooahum Crossing,” she said. “We are proud to have been able to work alongside Red Deer Native Friendship Society over the past decade to ensure the continued success of the site. While there is more to be accomplished, we are committed to continue to work together toward the vision through our continued relationship and formal partnership with Red Deer Native Friendship Society.”

“In the spirit of reconciliation, I look forward to a long-lasting partnership with the City of Red Deer as we move forward in phase two of Asooahum Crossing,” added Elder Sinclair.

As for the land acknowledgement, which isn’t a normal practice during Red Deer city council meetings, Veer notes The City has had conversations about it with Indigenous community representatives.

“Out of circle protocol, I can’t speak to the substance of those conversations, but we do it for all corporate events. I often do it in public speeches and on momentous days of ceremony,” Veer says. “We are always open to continuous improvement, but the most important takeaway today is that we made history after nine years of working on this file and we achieved a major milestone in working towards reconciliation.”

Veer also noted various proclamations made throughout the year, such as for Sisters in Spirit Day, Orange Shirt Day and Remembering the Children Day, as examples of ways The City of Red Deer is working towards reconciliation on a consistent basis.

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