New inclusive park plans announced at Summerfest kick off barbeque

BY JANA SEMENIUK

The town of Lamont kicked off their Summerfest weekend with a community barbeque event, hosted by the Friends of Lamont Firefighter Society, at the Lamont Arena July 7.

The event included bucket truck rides, games with Lamont Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), a bucket brigade competition, barbeque fundraiser, an indoor farmers’ market, in addition to a special announcement by the Town Mayor Kirk Perrin.

Perrin, along with indigenous elders Evelyn Day and Vyna Fluney, announced plans for the new Lamont Tawaw Park; a community park that includes a play structure, pavilion and walking trails, aimed at promoting inclusivity while contributing to the Town’s goals towards indigenous reconciliation.

The ground breaking and completion of the project are aimed to coincide with Sept. 30, the National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

“(The name) ’Tawaw’ is Cree for ‘come in, you are welcome’ or ‘there is room’ or ‘there is always room for one more’,” said Perrin, who added that Cenovus Energy has sponsored $100,000 of the close to $265,000 cost for the project.

“(It’s) an inclusive natural fitness supportive space that embodies the Town of Lamont and its partners’ commitment to indigenous reconciliation.”

Malina Adams, Senior Advisor of Community and Indigenous Affairs for Cenovus, said she is proud to be a part of Lamont’s plans, which began last fall, for the new community park.

“I think the Town of Lamont (coming) together with local indigenous leaders in the area, working together to build the relationships and extending hands of friendship to each other (is) wonderful (and) really meaningful,” she said.

“I'm really proud and touched to have been part of this because I think it's grown to be so much more than our initial conversation a year ago, up to where we are today.”

Perrin said the park will be located between the Edna and Campbell subdivisions at 46th street and 54th avenue.

Chief Administrative Officer Rick Bastow said the actual building of the park will be done by volunteers and overlooked by supervisory personnel.

“I liken it to an old-fashioned barn raising, where the hands that are going to turn the wrenches and the persons that are going to move the equipment, they're the families that call this community home, or they're the partners that have decided to work with us,” he said.

“So, when we put this together, our community actually put it together. Nobody built it for them, they built it for themselves.”

Bastow said additional supporting organizations include the Fort Saskatchewan and Lamont Region Chamber of Commerce, the Indigenous Society of Fort Saskatchewan and Elk Island Public Schools - which may possibly donate volunteer time to help build the structures.

“I’ll be there for sure,” said Lamont town councilor and EIPS Lamont County trustee Colleen Holowaychuk. “I don’t know (how many volunteers from EIPS are coming). We haven’t discussed it yet.”

Holowaychuk added that Elder Evelyn Day comes from EIPS.

“We're really excited (for) the indige- nous piece of it (that) we could bridge with Elk Island Public Schools,” she said.

Miles Mackow, General Manager for the Lamont location of Webb’s Machinery, said he was also excited to see the project coming to light. Webb’s Machinery donated $15,000 towards the building of the park.

“We really enjoy working with Rick and Kirk in the town. They've got a vision to grow the town, and we want to be part of that,” said Mackow.

Meanwhile, Cenovus Bruderheim Energy Terminal’s Senior Health and Safety Advisor, John Oak, spoke to the crowd of approximately 100 around their excitement in supporting Lamont’s newest park space.

“Tawaw Park will be a fantastic space. One that will serve various recreational needs for Lamont but also honour the indigenous culture in the region through the name Tawaw,” he said.

“This small but thoughtful addition to the name is another contribution towards indigenous reconciliation and will resonate with many who use Tawaw Park. Actions like this strongly aligned with Cenovus’ commitment to indigenous reconciliation, and made it easy for us to show support for this project and the town.”

The crowd was also treated to a performance by the Lamont Veselka Ukrainian Dancers, in addition to indigenous music by Bradley Faithful and his uncle Travis Faithful known as the Young Cree Singers, who performed a traditional drum circle.