David Livingstone Community School cuts ribbon on Bald Eagle’s Landing

The field for the new playground at David Livingstone Community School was still bright green despite the fall leaves dotting the landscape as parents, teachers, and community members gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the space on Friday, October 1. The new playground is shared with the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre, located in the field on the west side of the school, in Winnipeg School Division and the heart of Winnipeg’s North End.

The space will have the traditional name “Migizi Poonee” as offered by Colin Mousseau. The name means “Bald Eagle’s Landing” and is inspired by the eagle that has been regularly seen flying overhead in the area over the years. As Colin described, “The eagle is a messenger that takes the positive actions and prayers from the community to the Creator. The teaching of the eagle is unconditional love. The eagle brings unconditional love to the community, to the children and to the families in this space and surrounding areas.”

The initial design plan was created in June 2018 through community consultations and the donation of services of HTFC Planning and Design. Fundraising applications started in the fall of 2018, and the final piece for the playground was confirmed in the spring of 2021. 

“This school celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2022,” shared Alexa Rosentreter, parent volunteer and fundraiser, at the ribbon cutting on the afternoon of October 1. “This space, with a school named for a colonial explorer, sitting next to a community centre named in an Indigenous creation story, is uniquely positioned to inspire people to take risks in exploring relationships and creating health and beauty together in a good way into the next century. This new path forward means we can explore new relationships with each other.”