January 30 was the one-year anniversary celebration of the beginning of the Sacred Fires in Pearen Park and Fergy Brown Park. The Sacred Fires were led by ENAGB Youth Agency, American Indian Movement, the Turtle Island Carers of Fire, Edge of the Bush, with the support of Stop the Trains in Our Parks (STOP), Mount Dennis Community Association, Mount Dennis Eco-Neighbourhood Initiative, the Greenbelt Guardians and Sierra Club.
Mike Mattos from the Mount Dennis Community Association being interviewed in front of the of tipi before trees were cut.
Tipis were erected in the parks and four-day Honouring Ceremonies were performed for each of the nearly 1,500 trees that Metrolinx wants to destroy to build an elevated 1.5km section of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension through our parks. Fire Keepers kept the fires burning 24/7.
Metrolinx's fence to hiding the area they destroyed.
Sadly in mid October, Metrolinx used the threat of legal action to force the Sacred Fires to be extinguished. The celebration on the January 30 brought the community together again around a Sacred Fire beside the large fence Metrolink put up in Pearen Park. The Sacred Fire was led by one of the Fire Keepers.
The area that Metrolinx clear cut.
Everyone at the celebration was energized to continue working together to save our parks from further destruction. We’re calling on Metrolinx and the Ford Government to either put the line underground (like they did in Etobicoke) or along the road, which would save taxpayers time and money.
The charcoal remains from fire on the 30th (it is prohibited according to Indigenous culture to take pictures of the Sacred Fire while it's burning).