Wet walkers brave the rain to Walk for Reconciliation
Confluence president Jennifer Thompson said the Walk for Reconciliation was on for Saturday despite heavy rain and wind.
The Walk for Reconciliation took place Saturday morning despite the dreadful weather.
Saturday morning, in a rainy, wet interview that took place near the Harry Hays building downtown, Confluence president Jennifer Thompson said that while the walk can be expected to draw upwards of 500 people on a sunny day, the figure would probably be less than half that Saturday.
'Still a couple hundred we're hoping for,' Thompson said.
Torrential rain and high winds are forecast for Calgary throughout the day Saturday, with between 40 and 80 millimetres of rain expected to fall.
It was the 16th annual Walk for Reconciliation on National Indigenous Peoples Day. Thompson said the walk was a tribute to those who endured much worse than a rainy Saturday.
'Even though the weather is bad, this isn't half as traumatic as what survivors experienced in residential schools,' she said. 'So we can endure the weather today and have the walk in honour of them.'
Following the walk, Thompson said a gathering that was planned for The Confluence has been moved indoors.
'There will be free bagged lunch, as well as a program that has dancers, drummers and speakers,' she said.
Thompson also paid tribute to the wet walkers who showed up to participate.
'We're so grateful for all the people who have come out today,' she said. 'We're thankful for the partners -- the Aboriginal Friendship Centre -- Trellis Society and The Confluence have working for years and years to make this (Walk for Reconciliation) happen.'
For more about The Confluence, go here.
The Confluence is also featuring an exhibit that showcases Blackfoot life and culture called Kípaitápiiyssinnooni (Our Way of Life).
Saturday, admission to The Confluence is free.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Quebec to see scorching temperatures to start the week, says Environment Canada
Southern Quebec is bracing for a heat wave as a warm and humid air mass pushes through Ontario and makes its way across the province. Environment Canada meteorologist Julien Pellerin said the warmer temperatures will hit the Vaudreuil area as early as Sunday morning and will slowly spread across the Greater Montreal area through the day. By Monday, most of southern and southeastern Quebec will be affected by the air mass, Pellerin said, with temperatures reaching 30 C and above with humidex values between 40 and 45. "It's mostly the humidity in the air that will make it feel like really unbearable, if I can say, for some people," he said. The peak of the heat wave will hit on Monday and Tuesday with daytime highs expected to break records in Montreal, according to Pellerin. In an email to CBC he noted that the record for June 23 is 33.1 C and dates back to 2020, while the heat record for June 24 is 32.4, from 2003. Those expecting to get some relief overnight will be out of luck, with temperatures expected to remain above 20 C. Stay hydrated, Environment Canada warns And that is of concern, especially for people with chronic health conditions, older people and young children, Pellerin said, explaining that fatigue accumulates in the body and the warmer temperatures at night don't allow for recovery. With that in mind, the weather agency is reminding people to stay hydrated and drink lots of water, even before feeling thirsty. It is also recommending that people plan any outdoor activities for the coolest parts of the days and to limit exposure to sunlight and heat. To cool down, people can take showers and should try to spend a few hours a day in an air-conditioned or cool location. Meanwhile, those who work with people experiencing homelessness in the Montreal area expressed concern about how the heat wave will affect the unhoused. "Severe heat is a lot more difficult to manage. In some instances, it's because people don't recognize just how hot it is and how important it is to hydrate. And so we've got a challenge ahead of us in the next couple of days," said Sam Watts, the CEO of the Welcome Hall Mission. He added that heat waves are something the mission plans for every year, so they'll be ready to monitor people and keep them hydrated. There is, however, the added concern that Tuesday coincides with Fête Nationale which is a statutory holiday. That means places where people might go to seek out air conditioning like public libraries or malls might be closed. Philippe Massé, a spokesperson for the city of Montreal, said no special recommendations or measures have been issued yet, but that could change.
Calgary Herald
10 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Rainy weather in Calgary forces Saturday plans to pivot
With stormy weather rolling into Calgary on Friday night, the downpour continued into Saturday — raining on a full parade of events. Article content According to Todd Bate, senior meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the Calgary area has seen 71 millimetres of rain into Saturday afternoon, with more on the way. This comes after the ECCC's projected forecast of 40-80 mm. Article content Article content Article content Wind levels in the city came as a bit of a surprise. Article content Article content 'The wind was perhaps slightly stronger than expected. We were expecting gusts of 40 to 60 kilometres an hour, and we ended up with gusts of 70,' Bate said. Article content With a busy Saturday of events planned around the city, many were forced to adapt to the stormy conditions. Article content With the forecast coming in on Friday, WinSport postponed the opening of its bike park ahead of time, opting to push the start of its season to Tuesday. Article content Similarly, Sport Calgary's All Sport One day — a youth sport discovery event — faced numerous changes as a result of the rain, with three locations no longer hosting activities and a host of other activities being relocated or cancelled. These mostly included outdoor sports like soccer, field hockey and frisbee. Article content 'There actually weren't many cancellations, which was amazing considering the forecast. It was a great day, actually' said Catriona Le May Doan, president and CEO of Sport Calgary. 'It was great that we could pivot.' Article content Article content The Mega Bounce Run event hosted by Race Roster was also cancelled, with the rain and wind making its inflatable obstacle courses potentially unsafe. Article content The MS Bike event from Airdrie to Olds was affected, with the cycling portion of the event cancelled due to weather conditions. Participants were invited to join other planned festivities at Olds College, including the indoor beer gardens, dinner and programs. Article content The event will continue as planned on Sunday, with cyclists making their way from Olds College back to Airdrie. Article content Confluence Historic Site & Parkland held its annual Walk for Reconciliation Saturday morning in the pouring rain, with nearly 200 people in attendance. Heritage Park also celebrated National Indigenous Day with a traditional powwow.
CTV News
10 hours ago
- CTV News
Summer in Toronto kicking off with a heat wave
Toronto Watch Dangerous heat and humidity are expected to hit Toronto. John Musselman with a look at what to expect.
