Members Only Walking Tour: The River Reconnected: Biidaasige Park and Ookwemin Minising

Join the OALA J.E.D.I. Committee for a guided exploration of Biidaasige Park and Ookwemin Minising, a transformative waterfront landscape shaped through the integration of ecological restoration, city-building, and Indigenous knowledge. The tour will examine how one of North America's largest climate resilience and river restoration projects has created new relationships between land, water, culture, and community.

Through the lens of landscape architecture and Indigenous placekeeping, participants will explore how Indigenous history, language, and cultural values have informed and continue to shape the design of this new waterfront landscape. The tour will highlight Indigenous design features, and the restoration of cultural connections to the land and water.

As the group moves through the park's restored river valley, wetlands, public spaces, and future community lands, discussion will focus on the collaboration between Indigenous partners, designers, and public agencies to weave reconciliation, ecological restoration, and public realm design into a cohesive vision. Participants will also learn how Indigenous values and reconciliation objectives are intended to inform the future development of Ookwemin Minising through public spaces, storytelling, language revitalization, housing, economic participation, and long-term placekeeping.

Presenters:

• Shak Gobert, Bell & Bernard Limited
• Shannon Baker, Director, Design, Waterfront Toronto
• MCFN representative to be confirmed