WELDON, Sask. – Children have been swinging, sliding and climbing on a playground built to honour one of the victims of a mass stabbing two years ago in Saskatchewan, while a quiet feast has been prepared to remember the others.
On Sept. 4, 2022, Myles Sanderson killed 10 people and injured 17 others on James Smith Cree Nation before fatally stabbing another nearby in Weldon, northeast of Saskatoon.
Chief Kirby Constant of the First Nation said in an interview Wednesday his community has been slowly moving forward while trying not to dwell on the tragedy.
“We’re having a feast to acknowledge them. Families also don’t want to keep bringing up the fact that Sept. 4 happened, so we’re being low-key,” Constant said.
“This topic opens those wounds and, as wounds heal, they scar up. We’re at that point where they’re starting to scar up, and we don’t want to reopen them.”
In Weldon, a playground has been built to remember community member Wesley Petterson, who was 78 when he was killed by Sanderson.
Chelsey Erickson, who organized the playground project, said Petterson’s name is to be emblazoned on a metal sign at the structure. Flower beds have also been placed around the site to remember him.
“Wes really liked flowers,” she said.
“He loved the kids.”
Erickson said Petterson also mowed the town’s grass and organized what’s known as coffee row, a type of Prairie gathering to discuss the day’s events.
“He would go and make coffee every morning. He would drive around in his white car. And every time you’d see him, he would wave at you.”
She said Weldon has been quiet since Petterson’s death.
“Our goal was to bring the community together again and, honestly, I think the playground is doing just that,” she said.
At James Smith Cree Nation, a powwow is planned for the weekend to honour RCMP officer Heidi Marshall, who took down Sanderson’s stolen truck during a high-speed chase before the killer died in police custody from a cocaine overdose.
“She put her life on the line to bring this individual into custody, and we want to acknowledge her and let her know that we’re thankful and we’re grateful,” Constant said.
He said drugs remain a problem on the First Nation, but it’s doing everything it can to help those affected.
The community plans to build a wellness facility that would offer counselling and addictions support services. It’s also to include a multi-purpose room for community gatherings, events and other activities.
In addition, it’s renovating a lodge to provide detox for those before and after treatment.
“I wish we could have it right now, because I know people would use it. But these things don’t move quickly,” Constant said.
He said a security team on the First Nation has helped people feel safe.
All homes also now have numbers and there is signage for every street, a measure to ensure emergency crews and visitors know where to go.
Constant said the First Nation is continuing to pursue self-administered policing.
“That’s a big step in what we’re doing to keep our community safe going forward,” he said.
It’s time to let the victims rest, he added.
“They can go to the next step and be in the spirit world peacefully,” he said.
“We’ll honour them in our own ways and by our own selves, but we’ll never forget them.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 4, 2024.
— By Jeremy Simes in Regina
