On September 30, the City of London will recognize and observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour First Nations, Inuit and Métis survivors and their families and communities, and to ensure that public commemoration of their history and the legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.
“Education, compassion and understanding the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools and the continued impacts on Indigenous peoples, their families, their communities and cultures lies at the heart of reconciliation for all Canadians,” says Mayor Ed Holder. “On September 30, in the spirit of reconciliation and hope, we encourage all Londoners to recognize residential school survivors and their families and the need for truth and reconciliation by wearing orange in honour of #EveryChildMatters.”
In June, the federal government passed legislation that designated September 30 as a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to recognize the history and legacy of Residential Schools in Canada. The federal government created this federal statutory holiday in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #80 – to honour Survivors, their families, and communities.
On September 30, City Hall and the JA Taylor Building will be lit orange in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. An “Every Child Matters” flag will also be raised at City Hall. To learn more about the “Every Child Matters” movement and the woman who inspired it, visit https://www.orangeshirtday.org/.
All City administrative offices will be closed on Thursday, September 30, including City Hall, Citi Plaza, all Ontario Works offices and the Provincial Offences Administrative Office. Additionally, community centres, arenas, aquatic facilities, golf courses, outdoor sporting amenities and Storybook Gardens will be closed on this date.
Ontario Works monthly cheque pick-ups at Citi Plaza will take place Tuesday, September 28 and Wednesday, September 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cheques are cashable on September 29. Direct deposits will go into bank accounts on September 29. A reminder that all banks will be closed on September 30.
Waste and recycling collection will continue as scheduled, and EnviroDepots will remain open on September 30. Emergency services will also continue.
Dearness Home will remain open on September 30 for visits from essential caregivers and prebooked general visitors. For information related to visits at Dearness Home, please visit london.ca/dearness.
Recreation classes and drop-in programs
All recreation classes and drop-in programs scheduled to take place on September 30 will be rescheduled or cancelled. Recreation class registrants impacted by this change will be contacted directly regarding the status of their program, and accounts will automatically be credited for future use if a class is cancelled. To request to have any account credits refunded, please email recreation@london.ca.
Recreation rentals
Recreation rentals, including those for community centres, seniors’ centres, arenas and outdoor sporting amenities scheduled for September 30 will be cancelled. Registrants’ accounts will automatically be credited for cancelled rentals. To request to have any account credits refunded, please email recreation@london.ca.