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kihcihkaw askî-Sacred Land provides a natural setting for Indigenous peoples, groups, and communities to host ceremonies, sweatlodges and facilitate intergenerational learning.
kihcihkaw askî-Sacred Land is now open and its operations are managed by the Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre (IKWC).
An open house was held in September 2023 for the public to tour and learn about kihcihkaw askî.
For information on the upcoming events or the programming and operations of kihcihkaw askî, please contact the Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre through email (KAinfo@ikwc.org) or by phone (780-453-4592).
kihcihkaw askî (“This place here is Sacred” in Cree) is located in Whitemud Park (14141 Fox Drive NW) and provides a natural setting for Indigenous peoples, groups and communities in the capital region to host spiritual ceremonies, sweatlodges, cultural camps and talking circles, grow medicinal herbs and facilitate intergenerational learning in an appropriately designed outdoor learning space.
Following a ground blessing, construction started in 2021 and was completed in 2023.
The kihcihkaw askî cultural site features:
Pronunciation: kee-chee-kow askee
The kihcihkaw askî site, located at 14141 Fox Drive NW, is historically and culturally significant and has served as a ceremonial site in the past. Long before becoming farmland, the kihcihkaw askî site was used for many centuries by the Indigenous people harvesting medicines for healing purposes. Ochre, a rare mineral, is also found close to the site and was (and is) used in spiritual and traditional ceremonies. Due to this significance, the Fox Farms site was chosen for the kihcihkaw askî project. Learn more about the history and importance of this project in the City of Edmonton information session recording.
Until late 2022, the name kihciy askiy (Sacred Land) had been used for the site. The Elders felt “kihciy askiy” was too general of a term, as it translates to “sacred land.” The appropriate term suggested was “kihcihkaw askî”, which means “This place here is Sacred”. IKWC worked with the kihciy askiy Elders Counsel, local Cree linguists and language teachers, and University of Alberta Cree linguists to ensure the correct roman orthography spelling and Cree syllabics were being used for the name. Recognizing the different Plains Cree dialects, this led to a comprehensive discussion around the usage of kihciy askiy and the consensus was that kihcihkaw askî-Sacred Land was the most appropriate terminology for kihciy askiy as it represents the Plains Cree language dialect as spoken and written in orthography in the Edmonton region.
The Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre (IKWC) began operating the site in early 2023. IKWC hosted an open house for the public to tour and learn about kihcihkaw askî in September 2023.
The site is open daily from 9am to 4:30pm.
The City of Edmonton is the title owner to the land.
The land was gifted by the Fox family to the City in 1968 for the purpose of public recreation and enjoyment. The establishment of kihcihkaw askî is aligned with this intention. IKWC will operate the site under a license agreement with the City. This arrangement enables IKWC to focus on programming the site, while the City services the site and buildings. At this time there are no plans to transfer the land title to IKWC.
The kihcihkaw askî site provides a natural setting for hosting ceremonies, practicing traditional arts and sciences and facilitation of intergenerational and land-based teachings. The types of ceremonies and programming that take place at kihcihkaw askî will include sweatlodges, pipe ceremonies, traditional teachings and an outdoor tipi and educational space.
kihcihkaw askî is a solemn site for Indigenous ceremonial gathering. Events such as pow-wows will not be held here, and the partner groups will make efforts to reach out to engage the neighbourhood and surrounding communities. This facility will also adhere to the City of Edmonton Noise Bylaw 14600. There is a limit of 100 people on site at one time.
Learn more about the operations of this site in the public information session presentation.
A healing garden, presenting traditional herbs and plants in the form of a medicine wheel, will provide education about Indigenous culture in the currently unfunded Phase 2 portion of the project. Indigenous artwork could be incorporated into the healing garden.
Natural gas will not be used for the space heating or the fire pits.
The City of Edmonton is responsible. This is part of the project budget.
The City conducted the following public engagement and Indigenous consultation:
1968 - The City acquired the former Fox Farm site.
2003 - The Whitemud Integrated Area Concept Plan was developed and approved by City Council.
2006 - The City receives a proposal from the Indigenous Elders Cultural Resource Society to create a permanent site for Indigenous cultural events and learning experiences for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
2009 - The Whitemud Integrated Area Concept Plan is amended to include the development of the cultural site called kihciy askiy (now kihcihkaw askî). A public open house was held in 2009.
2014 - City Council approves funding in the 2015-2018 budget for kihcihkaw askî Phase 1.
2015 - Public engagement in Design. When the design of the project formally began in 2014, it was exempted from the public engagement policy/process due to the nature of the ceremony and programs that will take place. The engagement took place with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Native Counselling Services of Alberta, and now the IKWC.
2015 - Demolition of old Fox Farm buildings.
2015-2017 - Indigenous consultation, design and environmental review.
2018 - Council approves the Environment Impact Assessment and Site Location Study. Edmonton Design Committee approves the design and a Development Permit is issued.
2019 - With direction from Council, the Indigenous Relations Office works with Indigenous community partners to identify potential partners that could finalize and implement a governance and operations model.
2020 - The City begins working with the IKWC. City Council approved the release of capital funding required for construction.
2021 - The City re-engaged the design consultant to update the drawings to current code and COE standards.
Under the leadership and direction from the kihciy askiy (now kihcihkaw askî) Counsel of Elders, the previous operating partner, Native Counselling Services of Alberta, engaged Indigenous spiritual leaders living in the capital region through two Grand Council Gatherings of Elders in 2015 and 2018.
In 2015 the City of Edmonton’s Design Consultant met with the City’s Fire Rescue Services to ensure that all fire requirements were being met. Edmonton Fire requested that the access road be upgraded to a 6m-wide access road to provide access for a fire truck and to accommodate a turnaround, and this has been accounted for in the design. Fire Rescue Services’ main concern was the possibility of wildfires; therefore, the design of kihcihkaw askî adheres to Fire Smart Canada principles. The sweatlodges are located away from the existing woodland, with a minimum of a 15m distance to the tree line. In a 15m radius around the sweatlodges, all grasses are kept short and mowed regularly. In this area, no shrubs or trees are planted. All proposed tree groves on site, outside the radius, are fire-resistant broadleaf trees. A permanent water source to the site was also a requirement to maintain Fire Smart Principles. In case of a fire ban issued by the City of Edmonton, users of kihcihkaw askî must adhere to the ban or apply for special consideration.
Fire mitigation in this area is more stringent because there is only a single access point for emergency vehicles, the Whitemud Creek lands are designated as 'preservation' rather than 'conservation' or 'active and working landscapes' and because of heavy vegetation.
In 2017 the Fire Protection Engineer conducted a technical review of the Schematic Design Report and they recommended that the City of Edmonton incorporate the FireSmart Canada methodology and the Wildfire Hazard Assessment to minimize fire risk in the area, and reference the Alberta Fire Code 2014. Reimagine Architects Ltd. designed the stone heating device for the sweatlodges and the feast fire pit in the center of the tipi circle based on these recommendations and the most current approved design for a City of Edmonton river valley fire pit. Edmonton Fire and Rescue Services subsequently approved the design of both as part of the Development Permit application process.
In regards to security, the IKWC kihcihkaw askî operations team ensures, as reasonably possible, the safety and security of visitors, volunteers and staff, and the protection of personal and public property on the site. The kihcihkaw askî site is secure. All buildings are locked when not in use and/or under the supervision of kihcihkaw askî staff. The entrance gate and the southeast gate are checked and locked at the end of each working day. The site also has a security monitoring system and a private security company to monitor the site after hours.
In regards to fire fighting, all ceremony and cultural gathering structures (tipis and sweatlodges) have a fire extinguisher in or near the structures. Any cultural or ceremonial activity or event will be monitored by one or two individuals known as “firekeepers'' to ensure the fire mitigation plan is adhered to. The stone heating device used for the sweatlodge ceremony is contained in a fire enclosure that has been approved by Edmonton Fire Services. There will be no open fires outside of the ceremonial and cultural activities.
An Environmental Impact Assessment was completed in 2017 for the kihcihkaw askî site. The Environmental Impact Assessment examined impacts to the valued ecosystem components in the vicinity of the proposed cultural site. The report outlines an extensive list of mitigation measures for potential impacts related to the following areas: geotechnical and soils, hydrology and surface water quality, vegetation, wildlife, habitat connectivity, residential and recreational land use, traffic and parking, and historic resources. There are numerous mitigation strategies identified for each area. Examples of specific mitigation measures that were implemented for each impact category include:
The Environmental Impact Assessment also highlighted positive impacts from the kihcihkaw askî project including:
In accordance with the North Saskatchewan River Valley Area Development plan, this facility met the definition of a major facility, and was required to go to City Council to approve the Environmental Impact Assessment and Site Location Study. Both the assessment and study were approved and the project was deemed essential. The reports went to Council and were approved on January 29, 2018, at which time all of the reports were made public.
When fire permits were received, they were part of a design approved by Fire Rescue Services. Due to the location of kihcihkaw askî, smoke from fires is anticipated to have little to no effect on neighbours. For the purpose the fire is being used, we anticipate they will be hot, fast-burning fires that would provide relatively minimal smoke. The coals will be produced and at that point, there will be less smoke and this is when the stones will be heated. Wet/damp wood will be avoided because it will delay this process.
The fires on site are required to adhere to Bylaw 14600 which addresses nuisance smoke from outdoor fires.
There aren’t any volunteer opportunities at the moment, but please email projectmanager@ikwc.org for future opportunities.
As with any spiritual space, it’s always appreciated when you approach with respect. When at the location, it’s best to announce your presence to the site staff. We encourage you to ask questions to staff members and engage in a respectful dialogue. Another way of respecting the programming and the sanctity of the site is to volunteer. Help is always appreciated. You can also participate in publicly announced events and activities to engage more fully with the knowledge that’s being shared.
A select number of events and programming at kihcihkaw askî will be made available to the general public to provide educational opportunities about Indigenous worldviews, histories, sciences and cultural teachings in the spirit of reconciliation. This will include programming specifically targeted for local neighbourhoods to allow community members an opportunity to learn about the territory they share with numerous Indigenous Nations. During programming hours, the kihcihkaw askî pavilion will welcome visitors and site attendants will be able to answer questions and provide access to the site, as necessary. It is also expected that the site will be used by other partner organizations (such as, schools, service providers, charities and not-for-profits, post-secondary institutions) to host private events and ceremonial activities.
Process and protocols will need to be followed and a site and service use agreement will need to be signed. Requests for using the site will go through IKWC by emailing projectmanager@ikwc.org.
There is no impact to walking or cycling trails from the Brookside neighbourhood. The renewal of the existing walking paths or trails was not part of this project.
Walkers and cyclists can connect to the river valley and proceed from the bottom of the Brookside Hill. There was no change to access.
High volumes of traffic on a regular basis is not anticipated. During peak times the operations team will monitor traffic volume. Parking for kihcihkaw askî is located within the project boundaries. In total there are 50 gravel parking stalls and two locations for bus parking.
The City has partnered with the Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre (IKWC), an Alberta-wide organization supporting First Nation education, on kihcihkaw askî. IKWC has finalized a governance and operation model, convenes the kihcihkaw askî Elders Counsel, builds relationships to support future programming and usage at kihcihkaw askî, and now operates kihcihkaw askî.
In 2016, Native Counselling Services of Alberta created the kihcihkaw askî Elders Counsel to work with the Project Team during the design and construction of kihcihkaw askî. The kihcihkaw askî Elders Counsel continues to meet to provide spiritual and cultural leadership for the project.
On May 6 and 7, 2015, and again on October 28 and 29, 2018, Native Counselling Services of Alberta hosted Grand Council Gatherings for Indigenous Spiritual Leaders in the Capital Region at the Alfred H. Savage Centre.
Outcomes of the gatherings included:
