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Siksika Nation – Community Engagement for Residential School Memorial Park Buildings Project

Press Release

September 24, 2024

Project Summary

Siksika Nation has commenced the Residential School Memorial Park Buildings Project, being led by the Engineering Services Department. This Project is set to redevelop the buildings and lands which surround the former Residential School including the Holy Trinity Church, Old Chief Crowfoot School, the former Parish Hall and other associated buildings.

Siksika Nation has contracted Hatch Limited (“Hatch”) to provide consulting services for works associated with the design and building of the new Parish Hall building (“the Project”) including Community Engagement, Conceptual Design Development, Detailed Design Development, Tender Package Development, Contract Administration, Engineering Services During Construction, and Support through the Warranty Period.

Community Engagement – We would like your feedback

Siksika Nation recognizes that meaningful community engagement has to occur at each step of the design process to capture the spirit of place, honour community members and their history, consider local practices, and to design for current and future generations.

Over the next weeks, Hatch will socialize the Project with the community and communicate the process of engagement through newsletters, community door hangers and social media channels. Hatch staff will be seeking targeted feedback in consultation with focus groups, such as the Elders Advisory Group, Siksika Nation Administration departments, and with staff from Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park and the Old Sun Community College. In addition, Hatch will be setting up a physical space which can function like a “hub”, where community members can drop by to view the progress and blueprints of the project as it evolves.

In the second week of October 2024, Hatch will host an open house style community meeting to present the project and seek feedback from community members on the initial concept design, which will provide the Hatch team with considerations to design two additional concept designs. A picture of the initial concept design, to be presented at the community meeting, is included below.

Over the fall and winter, Hatch will hold ongoing “community touch points” with key community stakeholders and through broader community meetings to select a preferred option and to develop the preferred concept design to 30%, 60% and 90%. Throughout the process, Hatch will be engaging directly with community members and collecting feedback by leveraging the Nation’s social media channels, sending virtual surveys and posting updates through the physical community hub space. The Project will proceed with approval from Chief and Council.

Hatch will also integrate feedback loops into the engagement process to ensure that the community and focus groups are kept apprised of the updates to the design and how community feedback has informed any changes.If you have any questions about the process and/or would like to provide your feedback, please contact Farrah Ali-Khan, Hatch Engagement Lead at farrah.ali-khan@hatch.com.

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