Local residents, moved by the discovery of the remains of 215 children on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School,  and inspired by Owen Sound’s commitment to reconciliation, are calling for change.

They have started a petition asking to change the name of a park, named for a school that no longer exists, which in turn was named for the man who advocated for mandatory education, but very different systems for Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.

The online petition is addressed to Owen Sound City Council.  The text follows:

We, the undersigned, call on the City of Owen Sound to change the name of Ryerson Park at 805 5th Ave. E.

The park bears the name of Egerton Ryerson, recognized as one of the main architects of Canada’s shameful residential school system for First Nations’ children.

Ryerson believed that "Indians should be schooled in separate, denominational, boarding, English-only and agriculturally-oriented (industrial) institutions" and this position formed the framework for the residential school system.

Ryerson also believed that women should not be educated beyond an elementary school level.

In light of the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a former Kamloops residential school and Owen Sound’s commitment to reconciliation, it’s time to change the name of Ryerson Park.

The 10th Street bridge will be officially dedicated as the Gitche Namewikwedong bridge this summer and work is underway at the Gitche Namewikwedong Reconciliation Garden at Kelso Beach Park. Renaming Ryerson Park would be another step in this journey of reconciliation.

Note: we are aware of Ryerson’s contributions to the public education system in Canada and that the park was named Ryerson because of the nearby former school, named after Egerton Ryerson, but we feel in the spirit of reconciliation this park should no longer bear the name of one of the key architects of Canada’s church-run residential school system.