Council should consider provincial and federal funding to cover cost of additional indoor gathering space at Kihciy Askiy, report says

Thestar.com
June 24, 2018
Kashmala Fida

Administration is asking the city to speak to provincial and federal governments to fund the additional indoor gathering space in a first--of--its--kind Indigenous ceremonial site, Kihciy Askiy.

A report going to council on Tuesday is recommending Mayor Don Iveson write letters to the provincial and federal governments to ask for either partial or full funding to cover the $700,000 cost of an additional heated indoor gathering space to make Kihciy Askiy (pronounced Kee--chee--As--kee), which is set to be built on former location of Fox Farms this fall, usable year long.

In 2017, Native Counselling Services of Alberta asked the city for an additional indoor heated space. Council supported the idea, asking them to secure additional funding and to provide a detailed update on the business plan for the site.

However, the report says that as of May 2018, Native Counselling Services has been unable to do so, which is why the city has withheld the release of the $700,000 until an updated report on funding and business plan can come through.

“We want to know that if in fact the province and feds will support it,” said city Councillor Michael Walters of Ward 10, where Kihciy Askiy is set to be built.

“Once we have a better sense of whether they will, we can release a varied amount of that (money) or if we understand if they don’t and why they won’t, we can discuss release at that time.”

Kihciy Askiy, which means “Sacred Earth” in Cree, was first introduced in 2006 when the Indigenous Elders Cultural Resource Circle Society submitted a proposal to the city for a cultural site at the former location of Fox Farms, south of Fox Drive and east of Whitemud Drive.

It includes building of a storage building, washrooms, change rooms, a gathering place, permanent fire pit, a sweat lodge and landscaping to encourage the natural growth of the original plant species that grew there for thousands of years.

In 2014, Mayor Don Iveson highlighted the project as a commitment to the Year of Reconciliation.

A total budget of $3.81 million has been approved by council for the project.

After receiving full approval from city council in February, 2018 --a decade later -- the project is going through design phase.

“It’s taken an incredible amount of time to move it this far,” Lewis Cardinal, a community advocate who originally spearheaded the project, told StarMetro in February.

“I think that the due process we have gone through to develop it is going to be moved forward so I’m really positive.”

The project also has two other phases that include a herbal garden and trail connections, although those have yet to be approved for funding.

Walters says because the project has additional phases it would need provincial and federal support, so it’s better to start the engagement process now.

“I think this is a good opportunity for them to get involved,” he said.

Construction for the project is expected to begin mid or late 2018 and it is expected to be completed by 2019.

Because of its status as a first--of--its--kind in Canada, Cardinal said he believes this project will prove an example for the rest of the country.