The Town of Cobourg Public Works Department started to created the Indigenous “Seven Feathers” Crosswalk on Albert Street at the intersection of Second Street on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.
The crosswalk will be officially unveiled on Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 12 p.m. on the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, at 12 noon with Mayor John Henderson and members of Council, Town staff and Chief Dave Mowat of Alderville First Nation.
While the two town workers were just starting the layers of orange paint on the crosswalk on Tuesday, Alderville resident, Timothy Smoke was in town running some errands when he saw the town workers and what they were doing.
“In the moment I realized they are putting their efforts through and I felt like that needed to be just as acknowledged as what’s going to happen on the 30th.”
Smoke gave the two men a gift of tobacco which they very much appreciated.
“Even though we are getting ourselves ready for that day, we’re preparing ourselves. So these are things that are very essential for this healing process.”
At first Smoke thought the crosswalk would have been on the main street, but he realized it’s the meaning behind it, and Albert Street is very busy so people will notice the orange crosswalk.
After people see the crosswalk, Smoke said people will talk about it.
“That is what is very, very essential about this.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
