Toronto has a new island and park that bear Indigenous names as part of its commitment to reconciliation.
The Port Lands flood protection project is renaturalizing the mouth of the Don River.
As a result, a new island is forming in the area formerly known as Villiers Island, bounded by Lake Ontario, the Keating Channel and the new river mouth.
On Friday, city officials and an Indigenous advisory circle unveiled Ookwemin Minising (pronounced Oh-kway-min Min-nih-sing) as the island’s name meaning “place of the black cherry trees” in Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwemowin.
The circle chose Biidaasige Park as the name for the surrounding park (pronounced Bee-daw-sih-geh) meaning “sunlight shining towards us”.
The new island will include a climate-positive, mixed-use community designed to house approximately 16,000 residents and 3,000 jobs, according to a release.
Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Paula Fletcher (Toronto-Danforth) were joined by elder Shelley Charles of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and members of the advisory circle for the announcement.
“The decision to hand over that naming power to Indigenous communities was both a symbolic and concrete step in turning words into actions that contribute to truth, justice and reconciliation," Mayor Chow said.
“This beautiful name is a gift given to us through the work of the Indigenous advisory circle. We are grateful and honoured to receive it," Councillor Fletcher added.
The area, now called the Port Lands, was one of the largest freshwater marshes on Lake Ontario 200 years ago, according to the city.
There was an abundance of Ookwemin black cherry trees that grew throughout the waterfront area.
“I couldn’t understand when [my father] said these are third and fourth generation trees as all the old ones were cut down. I cried as I couldn’t understand how people could cut down these tree beings," Charles said.
"How did all those animals above and below the soil react to having the trees cut down? They went away. The muskrat and sturgeon left. People used to come to this shoreline to rejuvenate themselves and this was a corridor to all the lakes. Our footprints of our ancestors are here."
"When we think of this tree and how everyone wants to restore Indigenous plants, I can just imagine the conversation from other-than-human beings from land, water, air, insects, animals: it will be like seeing a long-lost friend!”
The Port Lands include more than 715 acres (290 hectares) of land along the waterfront, including parts of the Port Lands, South Riverdale, Leslieville and the East Harbour development site.
These areas are at risk of flooding from the Don River and can’t be revitalized until they are flood protected, according to the city.
The flood protection project is revitalizing 240 hectares by building a new river valley and renaturalizing the mouth of the river.
This project is part of North America’s largest waterfront urban redevelopment initiative, the city said.
The new names will be brought forward to executive committee on Tuesday, then to city council at its November meeting.
