NORTH GRENVILLE, ON – The Municipality of North Grenville is proud to support the reinstallation of the crosswalk depicting the Seven Grandfather Teachings, represented through seven feathers, at the junction of Clothier and Prescott Streets in Kemptville, in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The Municipality invites media and residents to join the dedication ceremony on Wednesday, September 24th at 6:00 p.m. at Rotary Park, adjacent to the crosswalk.
The reinstallation fulfills the original vision for the crosswalk which was proposed in 2024 by North Grenville resident Carolyn Solomon to honour the Seven Grandfather Teachings which includes: Love; Respect; Courage; Honesty; Humility; Truth and Wisdom. The seven feathers are a sacred symbol recognized by many Indigenous communities, offering guidance for how we all can walk together in respect and understanding.
The 2025 installation will be accompanied by a smudging ceremony led by Elder Albert Dumont, and local dignitaries who will share the meaning of the Seven Grandfather Teachings with the community. This important step ensures that the cultural protocols and intentions of the project are honoured and shared with the community.
About Carolyn Solomon: Carolyn is a child of the “Sixties Scoop”. Carolyn, along with her siblings were placed in Kemptville through the Children’s Aid Society after being separated from their Ojibwe community. Like many Scoop survivors, they were placed with non-Indigenous “adoptive” parents, who later returned them to the system.
During this time Carolyn’s little brother, Teddy Bellingham, went missing while still a ward of the Children’s Aid Society. In 1992, at just 16 years old, Teddy’s body was found brutally murdered in Smiths Falls.
Despite this, Carolyn Solomon continues to humbly dedicate herself to the North Grenville community. Beyond being a pioneer of women in trades as a licensed electrician, she also serves as the Second Vice President of the Kemptville Legion Branch 212, and Maintenance Coordinator.
The reinstallation of the Seven Feathers Crosswalk honours the Seven Grandfather Teachings and reminds us that Truth and Reconciliation is not a distant concept.
In 2024, Carolyn Solomon was awarded grant support through the Municipality’s Arts and Culture Development Fund, after submitting a grant application for the original crosswalk installation. Regrettably, the Seven Feathers Crosswalk was installed incorrectly without adherence to the appropriate cultural protocols – which caused confusion and harm.
The Municipality voluntarily removed the crosswalk after publicly acknowledging its error - and committed to reinstallation in a manner that fully respects Indigenous tradition.
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