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Powwow organizers surprised by councillor's stance on Sunnidale events

'We made a promise to the residents of Barrie; we shouldn't break it,' Coun. Barry Ward says of Sunnidale Park Master Plan

Update: Barrie city council approved the special-events exemption at its meeting on May 13, 2019 without further discussion. 

Barrie Native Friendship Centre (BNFC) officials say they're disappointed by a city councillor's remarks this week at city hall about the 30th annual powwow, and events like it, being held in Sunnidale Park. 

In a story published on BarrieToday earlier this week after general committee, Coun. Barry Ward said closing a portion of Sunnidale Park for next month's powwow is contrary to what the city's central green space is supposed to be all about, as laid out in the Sunnidale Park Master Plan.

However, he has also stressed that he's willing to make concessions in this case. 

BNFC officials say cultural factors aren't being weighed, especially in the spirit of truth and reconciliation. 

"Cultural sensitivity is important when it comes to these things," said Selena Mills, who works at the Bayfield Street centre in various capacities. "This is less about what shouldn't be there and it's more about an unknowing and misunderstanding, because I do see lots of big events where there's parking taking up all over the street down Sunnidale (Road). It's a really busy place."

Mills said holding the powwow at Sunnidale Park is "a special circumstance" while they wait for a ceremonial fire pit to be up and operational along the waterfront near the Southshore Centre. She said people should "reflect" before applying the same policies to what should, or shouldn't, be permitted in the park.

Ward said there's no disputing the powwow's cultural importance. 

"Arguing the powwow has a cultural component is missing the point," he told BarrieToday. "With its length, fencing, admission and camping, the powwow is the type of active use Barrie residents made clear during the consultations they didn't want in the park. As I said, short-term, to ensure the event goes ahead, is fine. Long term, we need to work with the BNFC to find a better place."

BNFC officials stressed that admission to the powwow is by suggested donation only, while a barrier would be installed around the perimeter to keep people safe at night and to protect vendors' crafts and wares. 

"Those things aren't major issues," said Vanessa Kennedy, the BNFC's cultural resource co-ordinator. "There's reasons why we have them there."

The powwow is set for June 1-2 at Sunnidale Park, pending a special-events exemption which city council must decide upon at Monday's meeting. 

Powwow organizers knew the city staff report was coming up this week, but say they were surprised by Ward's comments about the powwow and events like it at Sunnidale Park.

The BNFC isn't looking for special treatment to host its powwow at Sunnidale Park, Mills said. 

"We're not expecting any special favours, but this is Indigenous land that we're on," she said. "People can have mixed feelings and things can get complicated when it comes down to having to go through so many steps to gain permission to have a cultural celebration."

Ward says he's unclear why BNFC officials were caught off guard, especially since he supported city staff's recommendation to provide the exemption and allow the event to go ahead this year at Sunnidale Park, while also urging other council members to follow suit.

Ward expects it to pass unanimously Monday night, adding he appreciates the cultural importance the event carries, not only in the city but regionally. 

"For one year, the powwow is fine at Sunnidale," he said. "The staff report said it would be moving to the waterfront, where a ceremonial fire pit is planned, in the future. My remarks at council were aimed at making it clear the powwow was an exception to the master plan and we shouldn't be looking at putting other events in the park."

The powwow has previously been held at Red Storey Field in Barrie and Springwater Park in Midhurst.

"We're going through this period where we're trying to figure out a consistent place that it can be held at, year after year," Mills said. 

Future powwows, possibly as soon as next year, could be held at the new fire-pit facility between the Southshore Centre and Kiwanis Pavilion. 

"It's still in the planning stages," said Kennedy, adding that site does come with its own challenges, such as working with city staff around long-term scheduling. "I know, with booking that specific property, they do make their money on the weddings that are booked there."

A city spokesperson said the ceremonial fire pit is being designed by the city in collaboration with the BNFC executive, councils and elders. The Rotary Club will be going through the funding approval process in the summer and construction is expected to start early next year.

The powwow includes traditional dancing, drumming, singing, and a vendor market with traditional crafts and gifts. A sacred fire will be lit and maintained by a fire-keeper, and a feast will be held for all of the dancers, drummers and volunteers.

Each day is set to begin at 5 a.m. with a sunrise ceremony involving a hand drum and pipe ceremony. The powwow hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday.

BNFC executive director Samantha Kinoshameg says she's looking forward to the event. 

"The ability to have the city support and encourage us working together to have some of our cultural events is really important to me, because we choose to be here," said Kinoshameg, who lived in Sudbury and Toronto before settling in Barrie.

"It makes me feel good, as a citizen of Barrie, to have these kinds of urban Indigenous events take place in our city."

Mills said she wanted to dispel any notion in the community that it will be "a big, rowdy affair, or things happening there that wouldn't be welcomed in the community or a neighbourhood which are actually quite positive and vibrant."

She says she's been hearing "common stereotypes about noise and how Indigenous peoples gather and celebrate."

"It's important, though, to acknowledge that it's going to be a bit more of a sensitive subject matter, if you look at the history overall with Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples," she added.

"With the really important work that the city has been doing with the Barrie Native Friendship Centre and the Indigenous community here, I think it is important to actually separate some of that," Mills said.

BNFC officials say they reached out to Ward several months ago to talk about the powwow, but never heard back. Mills said miscommunication is what an Indigenous academic referred to as "wicked problems."

"Our doors are always open for discussion," Kennedy added. 

Ward said he has not been contacted by BNFC officials, either by email or phone. 

"I'm not sure what happened," he told BarrieToday. "I certainly would have contacted them if they had reached out to me. I didn't know about the powwow plans before last week. City staff has apologized for not giving me a heads up."

The councillor said the BNFC has not contacted him since the discussion at Monday's meeting, either.

"I've had a handful of emails, one negative, the rest positive about my concerns (raised at general committee)," Ward said. "More cross-cultural discussions are always welcome. They make for a more educated society and therefore a better society."

STICK TO THE PLAN

Ward reiterated that he just wants the city to stick to the master plan for Sunnidale Park in the future. 

"My only comments were making it clear to staff and my fellow councillors, only one of whom was on council when the Sunnidale Park Master Plan was adopted, that such uses go against what is allowed under the master plan," he said. "In fact, that's why an exemption was needed and it wasn't being dealt with administratively."

Ward, who represents Ward 4 and is also the deputy mayor, said "it's no secret" city staff is feeling pressure to find alternate locations for events since waterfront parks are becoming increasingly busy, especially during the summer.

"Sunnidale Park must not become the fall-back location when the waterfront isn't available," he said.

Ward, who headed up the Sunnidale Park Master Plan steering committee, which undertook extensive consultations, said there's a reason behind the specified uses at the park.  

"We heard again and again that Barrie residents wanted Sunnidale Park to be kept as a place for informal activities, such as picnics, walks, runs, tobogganing or just relaxing," the councillor said.

"People wanted a place in the city where they could just enjoy a park as a park. I agree with that sentiment. In this increasingly busy world, we need such places," said Ward. "We shouldn't see every empty space in the city as a place to put an event or make money, no matter how worthy."

Master plans are important, Ward said, as guiding documents for city amenities. At the same meeting this past Monday, general committee recommended adoption of five other such plans, he noted, covering things such as active transportation and storm-water management.

"If future councils want to ignore the recommendations on such things as bike paths, they better have a good reason," Ward said. 

The park's master plan came from the city wishing to place an underground water reservoir in Sunnidale.

"There was great fear among many Barrie residents that this was the start of unwelcome changes to the park, seeing it as a place to put things which could go elsewhere," Ward said. 

The councillor says he views the park's master plan as an agreement between the city and its residents. The pact was the reservoir would go ahead, but no more municipal infrastructure would be placed there. Strictly passive uses would be allowed, which was the agreed use since its beginnings after being a golf course for many years. 

"We made a promise to the residents of Barrie; we shouldn't break it," Ward said.


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Raymond Bowe

About the Author: Raymond Bowe

Raymond is an award-winning journalist who has been reporting from Simcoe County since 2000
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