Photo courtesy saskatoonlibrary.ca
A new library branch in Saskatoon will be named after a historic Metis community.
The new Round Prairie Library is set to open in December in the city’s Stonebridge neighbourhood.
The announcement was made on Wednesday to coincide with Louis Riel Memorial Day.
The Round Prairie (La Prairie Ronde) was a Metis community of buffalo hunters who established a site south of the city in the late 1800’s. In the 1950’s they were forced from the site by the Crown.
According to a statement from the Saskatoon Public Library, they say they are proud to honour the legacy of the Round Prairie Metis.
“As an active member of Reconciliation Saskatoon, SPL has firmly committed to answer many of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. The naming of this branch is one step in our journey, and we are proud to honour the legacy of the Round Prairie Métis,” says Saskatoon Public Library CEO Carol Cooley in the statement.
Shirley Isbister, President of the Central Urban Métis Federation Inc., says it’s heartening to see organizations like SPL pay homage to the legacy of Métis people in Saskatchewan.
“As a proud descendant of the Round Prairie (La Prairie Ronde) Métis community, I am very honoured that The Saskatoon Public Library is recognizing the many contributions and history of the Round Prairie Métis,” says Isbister.
According to SPL, the naming came after consultations with many Indigenous elders in the city.