Green energy vs Indigenous heritage in Edmonton
Epcor’s solar farm, a 51 acre, 45,000 panel operation is being built next to the North Saskatchewan River on what was a flourishing meadow rich in cultural sites. Epcor itself wrote “This site can be described as a multicomponent pre-contact period campsite which consists of a series of undisturbed cultural occupations from below the plough zone, approximately 30 cm below surface, to approximately four metres below ground surface.”
There appears to be multiple layers of occupation present, which speaks to ongoing and recurrent habitation. The geotechnical report for test pit TP17-08 notes cultural artifacts discovered at 1m, then again at 2.5 m. Indigenous people, before contact, would return to sacred places and spaces as a matter of practice. This evidence supports oral histories that speak to those practice.
Supporters of the project made much about the site being previously disturbed, farmed over and part of Epcor’s private holdings. These are the usual refrains used to depreciate the land and sell the idea of “no greater damage” so common when it comes to bulldozing Indigenous heritage sites. But we know that archaeological resources exist below the depth of a plow, and that the land was not always part of Epcor’s holdings.
Must Indigenous history, heritage, culture, and sacred sites remain off-limits for years more in order for a utility company to save money? Should archaeologists, experts and engineers be able to applaud themselves for getting a project approved that may destroy a place in the River Valley that has been proven to be occupied for a minimum of 9,000 years?
Read Robert Houle’s complete blog at https://yellowheadinstitute.org/2020/10/29/green-energy-vs-indigenous-heritage-in-edmonton/
Edmonton’s lost lake, creeks, and wetlands
Early Edmontonians had strong cultural connections to their water bodies. That was especially true of McKernan Lake, once covering about 30 acres and now covered up by the McKernan neighbourhood. The lake was a community gathering place in all seasons and included boating, swimming, picnicking, skating, and curling.
Many creeks were lost to road and bridge construction during the city’s building booms. Goat Creek was culverted, filled, and buried to construct Groat Road. Upper sections of MacKinnon Creek were culverted and paved to build residential neighbourhoods.
In the 1960s, MacKinnon Ravine was earmarked for a highway through central Edmonton. To this end, MacKinnon Creek and Ramsay Creek were culverted, filled, and packed down to create a roadbed. This roadway is now a walking and cycling trail.
Fulton Creek in east Edmonton illustrated gradual creek loss. Lower sections of the creek were culverted and filled to build Gretzky Drive and Capilano bridge. Current expansion of industrial areas encroaches on city’s remaining marshy areas. Text and information for this piece from Living in the Shed by Billie Milholland https://www.linkedin.com/in/billie-milholland-474a1639/?originalSubdomain=ca
City ward name calls for an equal future for LGBTQ2S+ community
The name tastawiyiniwak, is the nêhiyawak (Cree) term referring to the LGBTQ2S+ community. Its rough English translation is “in-between people.” The Cree heritage does not have a binary view of gender, or of traditional gender roles. In fact, the Cree worldview recognized eight genders, and each had their own role to play in the betterment of their community.
The Cree believe all people are unified by a single ahcahk (spirit). Each individual could choose where they belonged, what responsibilities they bore to their community, and were free to move between roles as they wished. This is the origin of the term tastawiyiniwak, or "in-between people."
The City of Edmonton ward tastawiyiniwak name calls for a more equal future for the LGBTQ2S+ community. Learn more by watching the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nc6cDzY2PA
Star-Flowered Solomon’s Seal great for a shade garden
This perennial is a member of the Lily family and grows from spreading rootstalks to form thick groundcover. Although it is slower to establish than the sun loving prairie wildflowers, this plant has staying power. It simply gets thicker each year and lives for many years.
This is an elegant wildflower with tall, arching stems. The narrow, grey-green leaves have long, noticeable veins. Leaf size and shape can vary, depending on where the plant is located. In bright light, the leaves are stiff; in shade, they are limp but tend to grow larger.
The white flowers have six petals and form a loose group at the end of each leafy stem. The species name, stellata, means “star-like” and describes the lovely white flowers. Berries are greenish with dark stripes, before turning red, and then nearly black, in early fall.
This plant prefers woodlands, open meadows, shores of sandy marshes and grows across Canada, including in Edmonton’s river valley. More at https://www.naturewatch.ca/plantwatch/star-flowered-solomons-seal/
Anirniq ward honours those who never made it home
Liz writes “I went to St Andrew’s school for 9 years. Across the street was the entrance of the Camsell hospital. We never knew what was happening. We were told the eskimos there were being cared for while they recovered from a very infectious TB. We could not visit them or ever see them. Thanks for this history lesson.”
Hermitage Park Disc Golf Course
Cass says “There is a new disc golf course being installed at Hermitage Park. The course design was released by the Edmonton Disc Golf Association https://edga.ca/courses/hermitage-park/ and it looks like 3 of the fairways-flight paths go through forests and even a ravine. How this made it past the city is beyond me. I worry players will lose discs in the ravine trying to throw across it, then scramble down. This is through our natural areas along the river. What about erosion and wildlife? This was such a scenic and quiet park for bird watching.”
Comment or contribution
If you have a comment, concern, or question, contact us at nsrivervalley@gmail.com Please also email us river valley photos or event information. Your friends, neighbours and colleagues can sign up for this newsletter on our web site.
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712
