North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre and North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority hosted the official opening of Miskwaadesi Amphitheatre yesterday.
A special opening ceremony was held on September 19 with North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre (NBIFC) and North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) and, with speakers including Kathy Fortin, NBIFC Executive Director, Maurice Switzer, NBIFC Board President, Sandra Thorkelson, NBIFC Cultural Resources & Communications, elder Evelyn McLeod, and Robin Allen, NBMCA Interim CAO, and Paula Loranger NBMCA Community Relations Coordinator.
"Miskwaadesi is a place of healing, where you can sit quietly, take in the sights and sounds, and feel the energy and care woven into its creation. From the beginning, this space has been filled with teachings and special energy, grounded by ceremony and guided by the wisdom of our Elders and Knowledge Keepers. It’s a blessing to have such a significant Indigenous space close to the downtown core, offering a moment of peace and connection to the land." said Kathy Fortin, Executive Director of the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre
Miskwaadesi sits on the traditional territory of the Nbiising Anishnabeg, who have lived here since time immemorial. The flagpole on-site is where the Indigenous flag will be flown year-round, emphasizing the importance of creating urban Indigenous spaces, learning, and reconciliation in our cities.
“This initiative has brought many community members together and NBMCA board and staff are proud to have worked with the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre, the City of North Bay and sponsors and supporters to bring Miskwaadesi to life,” added NBMCA’s Interim CAO Robin Allen.
The turtle is central to one of the Anishinabek creation stories. The muskrat sacrificed itself to bring the first handful of earth to form Turtle Island, and the turtle sacrificed himself to bear the weight of a new island to live on. We are forever grateful to these two heroes for this beautiful place to call home.
Many donors and supporters, touched by the spirit of Miskwaadesi, saw her value and supported her creation, including Jean Larocque and his team at Laroque Elder Architects who took a concept and turned it into a vision. Algonquin Granite provided the beautiful materials that created Miskwaadesi and Canor supported the development of Miskwaadesi. Without them and the following supporters and donors, we wouldn’t be here today celebrating the Grand Opening. This includes Stockfish Foundation, City of North Bay, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, Rotary, DeLoyde Development Solutions, Creative Industries, Lilly & Sue Buckle, Canadore College, G&P Welding, Norgalv Ltd., North Bay Powder Coating and OCP Construction Supplies.
Thank you again to all the individuals, businesses, organizations, and governments for helping bring Miskwaadesi to life.
To learn more visit miskwaadesi.ca
The North Bay Indigenous friendship Centre supports urban First Nations, Mètis, and Inuit people in pursuing Mno Bimaadziwin (a good life) through quality programming that welcomes the participation of our non-Indigenous neighbours. We advocate for full urban Indigenous social and cultural resurgence and economic prosperity.
The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) was founded in 1972 by the Province of Ontario and the NBMCA’s member municipalities. A non-profit organization, the NBMCA works closely with the public to balance human needs with the environmental needs of the region’s watershed. The NBMCA is one of 36 Conservation Authorities who are members of Conservation Ontario.
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For more information, contact:
Sandra Thorkelson, NBIFC Cultural Resources & Communications (705) 472-2811 ext. 242
Paula Loranger, NBMCA Community Relations Coordinator (705) 474-5420 ext.2002