Regina approves heritage status for cemetery at former Indian Industrial School

Regina city council has approved heritage status for an abandoned cemetery near the site of the old Regina Indian Industrial School.

The cemetery, located on the city's west edge, may contain as many as 40 children's bodies in unmarked graves.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of granting the property at 701 Pinkie Road a Municipal Heritage designation.

Sakimay First Nations Chief Lynn Acoose said it was an emotional night.

"It's very rare but sometimes the spirit of people's hearts come together when these decisions get made, and you could feel it," Acoose said. "That's how I felt when the motion was passed unanimously."

Two years ago, Regina officials recommended only that the site needed to be kept neat and tidy.

A survey of the land, beside Pinkie Road, was reviewed by the city's administration and, in a 2014 report, officials recommended against protected status. Instead, they suggested the private owner of the property should be required to cut the grass inside the cemetery at least once a year and generally keep things "neat and tidy."

The owner of the property is still responsible for maintaining the site.

Acoose said the change of heart displayed on Monday is important and says a lot of about the importance of such dialogue.

"Coming together with open hearts. Putting our minds together. Talking honestly. Being kind to one another. Feeding each other's spirits. That's what reconciliation is."

Acoose now wants to see the cemetery receive federal and provincial heritage designations as well.

• Ceremony honours children in cemetery by old Regina Indian Industrial School
• Regina Indian school cemetery may not get heritage protection

Interest in the cemetery and the history of the school led to more consultations on the matter.

A number of people appeared before council to speak in favour of the designation. The owner of the property also told council he supported the new status.

Multiple councillors, including Mayor Michael Fougere, highlighted the importance of remembering the "dark time" associated with the site and residential schools.

"This is the least we could do," Fougere said, adding more needs to be done in terms of education and the healing process.

A heritage property designation protects "against demolition or significant change under a 60-day holding period." According to the city, this allows the city to assess "the heritage merits of the property" and review plans before "demolition or significant change, whether it is the entire property or specific heritage features."

Find a full list of properties with municipal heritage designations in Regina here.