Aboyne, Ont. – The County of Wellington has unveiled new signage at the Indigenous Gathering Circle on the Wellington Place campus, making Indigenous languages a visible part of the public landscape along one of the area’s busiest recreational trails.
Led by Wellington County's Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) and made possible with funding from Regional Tourism Organization 4 (RTO4), the signage project includes two gateway signs explaining the purpose and meaning of the Indigenous Gathering Circle, and 20 signs identifying medicinal and native plants grown in the space.
Representing the Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples historically present in the area, the signs are written in Anishinaabemowin and Kanien'kéha, respectively, as well as English. Indigenous language speakers from Wiikwemkoong First Nation, Neyaashiinigmiing First Nation, Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation, and Akwesasne were consulted and Knowledge Keepers and Elders were provided with honourariums for their time and expertise.
“The Indigenous Gathering Circle is a symbol of relationship building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the region and a visible, physical commitment to reconciliation and Indigenous cultural presence," said Colleen Brunelle, IAC Committee Chair. “These signs increase the visibility of the space and provides public education about Indigenous culture and traditional land use.”
About the Indigenous Gathering Circle
The Indigenous Gathering Circle at Wellington Place was established in April 2023 through community conversations led by Wellington County’s Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC). Aligning with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's 94 Calls to Action, the space serves as a land-based space for education, healing, ceremony, and connection with traditional practices. Its circular design reflects Indigenous worldviews, with a stone feature at the centre representing the Three Peoples: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.
About Wellington Place
Wellington Place is a 200-acre County-owned campus of County services with over 190 acres of trails, buildings, services and green spaces, located between Fergus and Elora. Two street names honour Wellington County veterans that received the Victoria Cross for their service in the First World War: Frederick Campbell Street and Samuel Honey Drive. Charles Allan Way pays tribute to the Allan family that sold some of the land at Wellington Place to the County in 1877 for the construction of the new House of Industry and Refuge, now Wellington County Museum and Archives.
About the Wellington County Museum and Archives
Wellington County Museum and Archives preserves and tells the stories of Wellington County from its location in Canada's oldest remaining House of Industry and Refuge, a National Historic Site built in 1877. The museum's work includes ongoing reconciliation efforts and Indigenous programming developed in partnership with the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC).
About RTO4
Regional Tourism Organization 4, funded by the Ministry of Tourism and Gaming, supports the tourism sector across Perth, Huron, and Wellington Counties and Waterloo Region. The office works in partnership with local tourism organizations, destinations, and operators, advising on and supporting innovative projects to strengthen the economic and cultural impact of tourism in the region.
Learn more about Wellington Place, the Indigenous Gathering Circle, and the Wellington County Museum and Archives at https://wcma.wellington.ca/plan-visit/about-us.
Media Contact: Jana Burns, Wellington Place Administrator, 519.846.0916 x 5222, janab@wellington.ca