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St. Mary’s Residential School site in Mission to be demolished
The Stó:lō Collective has announced plans to demolish the former St. Mary’s Residential School site in Mission, British Columbia. Full deconstruction of the site is scheduled for 2027. The Collective stated that removing the buildings, some of which contain hazardous materials, is a step toward healing rather than an erasure of history.
St. Mary’s Residential School operated for 121 years across three locations in Mission, making it the longest-running residential school in the province. The final site at 34110 Lougheed Highway was in use from 1961 to 1984. Since 1993, the land, known as Pekw’xe:yles, has hosted the Stó:lō Nation regional office, various businesses, and childcare facilities.
A proposed Interpretive Centre is projected to open to the public in 2028. The Collective intends to follow cultural protocols during the demolition and host gatherings to mark the process.
Entities
Mission · Mission, British Columbia · Pekw’xe:yles · St. Mary’s Residential School · St. Mary’s Residential School · Stó:lō Collective · Stó:lō Nation · Tsawwassen First Nation
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 14 SOURCES] The Stó:lō Collective stated that demolishing the school buildings is a step toward healing rather than an erasure of history. similkameenspotlight.com · northernsentinel.com · kelownacapnews.com · langleyadvancetimes.com · missioncityrecord.com · +9 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] The final St. Mary’s site was in use as a residential school from 1961 to 1984. similkameenspotlight.com · northernsentinel.com · kelownacapnews.com · langleyadvancetimes.com · missioncityrecord.com · +9 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] A proposed Interpretive Centre is projected to open to the public in 2028. similkameenspotlight.com · northernsentinel.com · kelownacapnews.com · langleyadvancetimes.com · missioncityrecord.com · +9 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] St. Mary’s Residential School operated for 121 years across three locations in Mission. similkameenspotlight.com · northernsentinel.com · kelownacapnews.com · langleyadvancetimes.com · missioncityrecord.com · +9 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] Full deconstruction of the St. Mary’s Residential School site is scheduled for 2027. similkameenspotlight.com · northernsentinel.com · kelownacapnews.com · langleyadvancetimes.com · missioncityrecord.com · +9 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] Some of the former school buildings contain hazardous materials. similkameenspotlight.com · northernsentinel.com · kelownacapnews.com · langleyadvancetimes.com · missioncityrecord.com · +9 more