NORTH BATTLEFORD — The City of North Battleford has a new street name with the now-official PÄ“yak Trail (pronounced pay-ack), formerly West Railway Avenue. The ceremony took place on the corner of 12th Avenue and PÄ“yak Trail on National Truth and Reconciliation Day, with comments from Mayor David Gillan, Councillor Bill Ironstand, and Marilyn Richardson.
PÄ“yak means ‘one’ in Cree and was chosen specifically to show that reconciliation has just begun in the Battlefords, and there is much more work ahead.
Chief Sylvia Weenie offered a prayer in Cree before the proceedings, asking that everyone could put their prayers together.
“... we can ask the great creator to bless this town, bless the people, and bless all the surrounding areas and give us the guidance to move forward …”
Mayor Gillan spoke on the importance of togetherness, education, and the dedication of the City Council towards making a consistent change in North Battleford as they moved towards reconciliation. Gillan said that renaming Railway Avenue to PÄ“yak trail is the first step in reconciliation for the city, with much more work to be done in the coming months and years.
Councillor Bill Ironstand spoke on truth and reconciliation as well.
“I was reminded today … that truth and reconciliation is not just about Indian residential schools. There were day schools, there were Indian hospitals … sanitoriums for Indigenous people only, there were many systemically racist things that happened to us as Indigenous people. Those are the truths and the reconciliation that need to take place.”
To thank the volunteers involved with the renaming, decorative plaques were presented to Marilyn Richardson and Leone Neville while the four other plaques were delivered.
