Calgary unveils new design for Indian Residential School Memorial

The City of Calgary has unveiled the new design for the city’s future Indian Residential School Memorial.

The new design, called The Wandering Spirit and presented by Ground3 Inc (groundcubed) and Adrian Stimson, was selected and will be situated at the Confluence Historic Site & Parkland.

It went through a competition in fall 2024 and stemmed from one of four Indigenous teams shortlisted to submit final concepts. The city says each submission reflects four shared pillars: healing, ceremony, truth, and acknowledgement.

The Wandering Spirit was chosen by a jury composed of Indigenous members, including Elders and technical experts.

While meeting the competition criteria and aligning with cultural and community values, the city says the memorial is deeply tied to The Confluence and the shared history it represents.

“The memorial will bring healing, celebration, and honour to Indigenous communities and those who continue to suffer the impacts and imprints of residential schools,” said The Confluence Indigenous Relations Manager Otsskoipiiks’aakii Paula Smith with the Blackfoot Confederacy, Piikani Nation.

“The land at The Confluence was used by Fort Calgary to uphold the residential school system, but it has also been a significant place to Indigenous people since long before the North-West Mounted Police arrived here.

“The chosen memorial design is meant to bring both these histories together towards a unified future.”

The current memorial is in front of the Municipal Building in downtown Calgary, and it’s made up of shoes and toys representing the discovery of 215 children found near the Kamloops Indian Residential School in June 2021.

The Confluence, then Fort Calgary, was decided as the permanent location in 2023 on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

The city says The Wandering Spirit has been Indigenous-led since its inception and has been guided by Indigenous communities.

Harold Horsefall, Indigenous Strategist in the Indigenous Relations Office with the city, says every step of the process has centred around “Indigenous leadership and cultural teachings.”

“We are honoured to unveil a concept that reflects the voices of survivors, Elders, and community members,” he said.

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says the memorial stands as a permanent reminder of the children who will never return home, and for survivors who hold scars and live with the intergenerational impact of the residential school system.

“I’m grateful to the Elders, survivors, and Indigenous leaders who have shaped this vision from the beginning. Their voices, teachings, and strength have guided this process–and will continue to guide us on the path of reconciliation,” she said.

The design will move into a detailed design phase to refine the concept before construction begins.

Updates from the city and The Confluence will be provided, including the timeline, final design, and the groundbreaking ceremony, once said stages near.