Researchers conducting ground penetrating radar searches at the site of the former Beauval Indian Residential School say they have found several sites of concern.
The radar searches at the school began in 2021, conducted by English River First Nation.
Researchers provided an update in 2023 where they announced 93 sites at the school that were believed to be within a cemetery and consistent with Catholic burial practices.
However, on Thursday afternoon, researchers announced they have since identified 60 additional sites of concern outside the cemetery grounds.
Dawn McIntyre, a member of the Returning Home Project ,who are undertaking the search, announced the findings.
“While we cannot yet say with scientific certainty what these sites represent, we do know that the soil in these locations has been disturbed, removed, and replaced,” said McIntyre. “We ask why are there so many areas?”
McIntyre described the announcement as an “update” and “not the end of the story.” She says there is a lot of work ahead.
“We will continue our investigation using various methods to determine the nature of these sites. Our hope is to rule out our worst fears, but we must also be prepared to face them.”
McIntyre also noted that this month marks 30 years since the school closed.
“Although it’s closed this school casts a long shadow on this community,” she said. “We are not surprised by the truths being uncovered today, but we are shocked by their (potential) depravity.”
McIntyre also says only about 15% of the land around the site has been searched and many more searches will be undertaken in the future.
While McIntyre says the RCMP has not been involved in the research efforts at this time, she does say the community may make a decision on that in the near future.
(TOP PHOTO – A photo of the Beauval Indian Residential School. Courtesy of the University of Regina)