By battlefordsNOW

Trail walk to remember Battlefords area history

Aug 17, 2017 | 12:41 PM

To learn more about the area’s geography and history, a trail group is completing a 340 km walk from Swift Current to North Battleford along a historic Métis trading route.

The group started on Aug. 3 and are covering roughly 23 km a day toward the finish line at Fort Battleford on Aug. 20 where there will be a welcoming event at 2:30 p.m.

Hugh Henry, from Swift Current, a board member of the Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society, organized the trek. 

“With the History and Folklore Society we have a program that commemorates historic trails and historic sites,” he said. “This is a new program for us to recognize the Battleford Trail that is significant to Saskatchewan history.”

For the last couple of years, on behalf of the society, he placed markers along the historic trail.

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“This is the second step in that process – to invite people to come along for a walk and get a sense of the history and the geography (of the trail),” Henry said adding this year is particularly important as it ties in with reconciliation efforts and Canada’s milestone anniversary. 

“It’s just a way of coming together,” Henry said. “It’s not necessarily the main focus for everybody who is on the walk, but certainly it’s one of the things we encouraged. That there is a time to reflect about what life was about and what it can be like going forward.”

Roughly nine walkers joined Henry for the majority of the route West of Highway 4, but more are signing on.

“As we get closer to the Battlefords the numbers are increasing, which is a good sign,” he said. 

He expects to give a talk on the route’s history during a stop at Mosquito First Nation tomorrow.  

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW