Starting Thursday, survivors of residential schools will have the chance to share their stories in an event to pay tribute to those who were in Residential Schools.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission National Event will take place at the Shaw Conference Centre between March 27 and 30 – during the four day event, testimony from survivors will be heard, along with celebrations of aboriginal culture in Canada.

On Wednesday, Mayor Don Iveson declared the day before the event as the beginning of “A year in Reconciliation”.

“This journey is not going to finish in a week, it’s not going to finish after four days of [the] Truth and Reconciliation [event],” Iveson said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, and we want to challenge ourselves for the next 365 days.”

Alberta had more Residential Schools than any other province – about 12,000 survivors live in the province, and most of them living in Edmonton.

Officials said Edmonton was chosen as the host city for the final event of this kind, in recognition of the role the province played in the Residential School system.

Each of the events have had their own theme, ‘wisdom’ has been selected as the theme for the four day event.

Traffic disruptions during event

A day before the event was set to start, the city released a series of closures and changes that will affect traffic in the area throughout the event.

Thursday, March 27:

  • Traffic delays are expected on Jasper Avenue and Grierson Hill lane closures between 95 Street and 100 Street – traffic in both directions on Jasper Ave. to be reduced to one lane, to allow bus access to events - delays expected between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
  • In addition, 96 Street will be completely closed between 102 A Avenue and 103A Avenue from 8:15 a.m.- 3:30 p.m., while 99 Street will be completely closed between 102 Avenue and 102A Avenue from 1 - 3:30 p.m.
  • Motorists are asked to detour using 103 A Avenue/104 Avenue
  • Stadium Road southbound closure – roadway will be closed east of 92 Street and south of Stadium LRT Station between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., north and south-bound traffic to be reduced to single lanes in the northbound lanes of Stadium Road – drivers asked to detour using 111 Avenue

Sunday, March 30:

  • Jasper Avenue between 95 Street and 108 Street closed in stages – between 4 and 11 p.m. – closure set to allow Walk of Reconciliation from the Shaw Conference Centre to the Legislature
  • Drivers asked to use 103 A Avenue and 104 Avenue

More information on the Truth and Reconciliation National Event can be found online.

With files from Veronica Jubinville