Schedule 1 Committee of the Whole CCW 2019-245 Working Together and Helping One Another For over 10 years, the Friends of Wiidookdaadiwin have Our Cause worked together to bring a vision to life of a place celebrating our collective histories… a place to forge our future together. Remember We present to you an opportunity to join us in working together and helping one another. Our work represents both Our Past. a history and a hope of different cultures embracing new challenges, new opportunities and new understandings. Too much of our history has included systemic racism, cultural Celebrate divides, and polarized opinions created by misinformation about that history. We seek to create possibilities in a place Our Present. for conversations, asking questions, and learning. We offer you an opportunity to join us in bringing that vison Build to life through a place and through an icon. The icon is a gift that celebrates our collective history and forges a new path Our Future. forward for a brighter future. The place is Wiidookdaadiwin. Schedule 1 Committee of the Whole CCW 2019-245 Remember Our Past. Celebrate Our Present. Build Our Future. From the height of the site, as you focus on the Collingwood Grain elevators at the centre point on the horizon, shift your gaze to the right and you will see the outline of Georgian Bay, part of the largest body of freshwater in the world. Continuing to the right, the Copeland Forest lies at the north western toe of the Oro Moraine, from which the waters carry into the Coldwater River, the Sturgeon River and Willow Creek. As your eyes return to look straight ahead of you, they will land upon a multitude of nature’s gifts: a Boreal forest, a Carolinian forest, Bogs, marshes and the Nottawasaga River winding its way back to Wasaga Beach. The Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Bioshphere, rises in front of your sightline. You can also see a portion of the 730 kilometer Bruce Trail wind its way through the wetlands. As your eyes continue to scan, they will land upon a Canadian National Historic site, Willow Creek Depot. Here is the convergence of the Nine Mile Portage, the Ganaraska Trail and the Trans Canada Trail. The internationally renowned Minesing Wetlands lay before you, a most biodiverse wetlands designated as an Internationally significant Ramsar boreal wetlands. It is almost impossible to find another single location that will provide you with such breadth and beauty of nature. As you take it all in, your mind can’t help but take a journey back, to the rich history of these lands and waters. Indigenous people from many different nations made this amazing location their home for thousands of generations. When Europeans first arrived, lured by both the beauty and bounty of this place, trade began and new paths were forged on top of the old. What better place to learn about those people and those relationships? Let the historic journey of discovery fill you with a promise of knowing more and creating within you a desire to do better. It is only through learning from each other can we... Remember Our Past. Celebrate Our Present. Build Our Future. Wiidookdaadiwin Our name, Wiidookdaadiwin, is from the Ojibway language and means “Working Together and Helping One Another”. The gift of the name was presented to us by the Elders of the Chippewa Tri-Council, symbolizing the working relationship, sharing of knowledge and the teachings that have gone on for centuries here in our region and nationally. Together, we are working for the greater good, for all of us. Schedule 1 Committee of the Whole CCW 2019-245 The Spirit of Wiidookdaadiwin We don’t take our name lightly. Working Together and Helping One Another has been a guiding principle since the first step of this journey. It embodies the working relationship with the land and our cultures that should always be fostered. It celebrates the telling of truths, both past and present, and ensures they are at the core of every message. At this time in history, when both the Provincial and Federal governments have committed to the implementation of the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, what could be more important than to work together and support one another? Wiidookdaadiwin will not only be a place of education, reflection and a celebration of shared history but will also model a new way of collaboration based on truth and respect. The Icon On behalf of the committee and partners, Beausoleil First Nation successfully acquired a Heritage Canada grant in 2012. This funding empowered the committee to commission a sculpture by Canada’s renowned sculptor Marlene Hilton Moore. The gift of the name Wiidookdaadiwin from the Chippewa Tri Council, originally meant for the Icon, has been extraordinarily helpful in keeping our vision in focus. The name also captures the guiding principles of this entire journey, and as such, has been adopted as the name of the site as well as the working group, Friends of Wiidookdaadiwin. The Site In 2002, Harold Parker and Tony Guergis had a shared vision: to repurpose a closed landfill site and create a county-wide gathering place to celebrate history, education and culture. Simcoe County has a long history of environmental steward- ship. Development of the Wiidookdaadiwin site falls in line with the County’s ongoing commitment to remediate old waste sites and return the land to the beauty Indigenous peoples have enjoyed for generations. The site will be multi-use: Tourism spot for incomparable vista of Simcoe County. Educational location for schools to teach accurate history of the region starting pre-contact. Valuable ecological location overlooking the world class biosphere Minesing wetlands, Niagara Escarpment, Georgian Bay, Carolinian and Boreal Forests, as well as many Indigenous plantings. Focal point connecting nearby significant sites: Fort Willow, 9 Mile Portage, Simcoe County Museum, Minesing Wetlands, Blue Mountains. Schedule 1 Committee of the Whole CCW 2019-245 PHASE 1 OF THE DEVELOPMENT WILL INCLUDE: THE COMMITTEE Funds are on hand to move the icon to the final site. The current Friends of Wiidookdaadiwin include: (Some initial development has been done). Tony Guergis, Chair Viewing Deck Ron Douglas, Vice Chair Gathering Spaces Kelly Brownbill, Coordinator, Communication and Education Interpretive Signage Harold Parker, Elder Indigenous plantings and education on their Bill Jamieson, Elder traditional medicinal uses Peter Dean Lighting, Security, Parking Lot Marlene Hilton Moore THE CAMPAIGN Joan Lehman To date over $1.5 million dollars has been raised to bring the Clayton King vison of the icon and the site to life: Natasha Charles Heritage Canada Partnerships have kept the momentum growing and has County of Simcoe guided the vision. From the beginning, partners included: Springwater Township Tourism, Engineering and Communications Departments Chippewa Tri Council (formally Chippewa’s of Lake of the County of Simcoe Huron and Simcoe), currently including: Simcoe County Museum Beausoleil First Nation Springwater Township Chippewa’s of Rama First Nation The Chippewa Tri-Council which includes: Chippewa’s of Georgina Island First Nation Beausoleil First Nation We now begin our fundraising campaign for an additional Chippewas of Rama First Nation $500,000 to open the site. This campaign of $500,000 will Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation bring the icon to its resting place. The project costs include: Barrie Rotary and Rotary Clubs throughout the County $115,000 for site preparation and landscaping Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority $200,000 electrical contracting for the site Heritage Canada $40,000 annual operating costs Community support through donations $36,000 security costs including fencing and gates $25,000 visitor conveniences including decking, toilet facilities, picnic tables and signage Contact us today: [email protected] HWY 26 Edenvale HWY 26 HWY 26 Minesing GEORGE JOHNSON RD. HWY 27 CARSON RD. HWY 400 SNOWVALLEY RD. SEADON RD. Minesing Wetlands Conservation Area SUNNYDALE RD. BARRIE DUNLOP ST.W HWY 400 90 HWY.