Hundreds walk wooded trail in Kingston to honour residential school survivors

There was a morning ceremony followed by storytelling and teachings by Indigenous community members.

Kingston residents walked through history and reflection during Reconciliation Walk 2025 on Sunday.

The free, self-guided event ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area, hosted by Cataraqui Conservation and True North Aid. We spoke with Amanda Amesse who is the Outreach Manager about what she hopes people take away from this walk.

 
Participants followed a 45-minute wooded trail with reading stations that outlined the history and impact of Canada’s residential school system. The walk concluded, weather permitting, with a fire where visitors shared personal reflections and listened to survivor testimonies.

Stana Luxford Oddie, the senior conservation educator with Cataraqui Conservation, describes how hearing these survival stories has affected her.

The day began with a morning ceremony and continued with storytelling and teachings by Indigenous community members Jennifer Kehoe and Paul Carl. An Orange Shirt activity also took place to honour children who never returned home from residential schools.

Paul Carl says that it's not only important to learn what happen, but to also recognize that Indigenous Peoples are still here.

Free bus service was provided from Montreal Street Park n Go to the conservation area, making it easier for residents to take part in the experience.

Story by Alyssa Brush