Niagara Parks Hosts Panel Unveiling Ceremony in Honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

New interpretive panel commemorates historic events held in 2022 in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Today, in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Niagara Parks hosted a ceremony to unveil a new interpretive panel that has been installed on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Power Station.

The new interpretive panel commemorates the events that took place at the site in 2022, including the historic meeting of Orange Shirt Day Founder and residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a sunrise ceremony held on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Power Station. The grounds were also the site of a public concert event, Treaty: A Reconciliation Revelry, produced by Tim Johnson, Senior Advisor, Heritage and Legacy for Niagara Parks.

Today’s unveiling ceremony included remarks from Niagara Parks Chair April Jeffs, Tim Johnson, and Brian Kon, Indigenous Relations Advisor for the Niagara Region. The ceremony also featured an Honour Song by Phil Davis, Longstanding Cultural Community Member.

As outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools is an essential component of the reconciliation process.