Six Orange Ribbon memorials in Oshawa to honour lost children of residential schools

Oshawa is inviting the public to tie a ribbon at one of six Orange Ribbon memorials in the city to commemorate the children lost and the harm caused to their families through Indian Residential Schools.

The memorials will be in place from September 3 to October 7, with the ribbons having special significance on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada on September 30. Also known as Orange Shirt Day, it is a day to acknowledge the painful legacy and harms caused by residential schools and honour the children who never returned home, the survivors, as well as their families and communities.

Orange Ribbon memorials will be located at:

• Civic Recreation Complex (99 Thornton Rd. S.)
• Columbus Community Centre (3265 Simcoe St. N.)
• Delpark Homes Centre (1661 Harmony Rd. N.)
• Lakeview Park (55 Lakeview Park Ave., located near the playground and splash pad)
• Oshawa City Hall (50 Centre. St. S.)
• Bawaajigewin Aboriginal Community Circle (863 Glen St.)

Oshawa, which is situated on the traditional and treaty territory of the Mississaugas and Chippewa Anishinaabeg and is home to the greatest number of Indigenous peoples in Durham Region, will also be flying the Survivors’ Flag at City Hall for the entire month of September.

The Survivors’ Flag is an expression of remembrance, meant to honour residential school Survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada. Indian Residential School Survivors from across Canada assisted with the flag’s creation and selected each element depicted on the flag.

The City of Oshawa encourages the community to learn more about Indigenous communities this month and to wear orange on September 30 to honour the stolen children of the Indian residential school era.

Orange shirts can be purchased by Indigenous creators or through businesses that put back 100 per cent of the proceeds into Indigenous initiatives.

• Minisi Convenience and Gift:gift shop located in Scugog Island First Nation
• Nishtees: Indigenous owned apparel store
• Whetungs Ojibwe Centre: gift shop located in Curve Lake First Nation
• Turtle Lodge Trading Post: Indigenous owned trading post
• Shop First Nation: Resource hub
• Walmart Reconciliation Effort:100% proceeds go to Indigenous owned educational resource, Indspire

Residents can also visit the Orange Garden for Reconciliation at Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park, a space for the community to reflect, learn and commemorate the legacy of harms caused towards the Indigenous stewards of Turtle Island (North America) to promote healing, equity and inclusion for all.

Learn more about the City of Oshawa’s commitment to meaningful reconciliation with  webpage Indigenous communities on the Truth and Reconciliation webpage.