Calgary city council approved continued work on determining an Indigenous Gathering Place at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.

The motion was debated late Tuesday evening at the Combined Meeting of Council. It passed unanimously.

There was a concern raised during January’s Executive Committee meeting that different Indigenous groups weren’t consulted during this process.

Coun. Evan Spencer, who brought the motion forward, said this is a chance to finally move forward on finding a space for Calgary’s Indigenous peoples to gather.

“That’s what this motion is doing. It’s starting the process of engagement and identification of a site,” said Coun. Spencer.

Spencer said this was an apolitical effort. That was later confirmed by John Fischer of the Indigenous Gathering Place Society, who said they don’t have political representation. He said they’re working for a community of urban Indigenous peoples in Calgary.

The motion would begin the process of working with different groups to identify a location for the Indigenous Gathering Place. It would confirm interest in the land around the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.

Still, there was concern about the engagement – or lack thereof.

“I would say the engagement on this hasn’t been on par to some of the stuff we’ve done as a city in engaging on certain things,” said Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp.

Community Services GM Katie Black said they’ve been supporting the Indigenous Gathering Place Society in their process and consultation. She said they’ve developed their extensive engagement process over a number of years.

“We respect the process that the Indigenous Gathering Place Society has used to develop their plans,” said GM Black.