This is what reconciliation looks like

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/11/2021 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Usually I go for a walk to find a story in my Crescentwood community. This time I barely got out my front door when an epic tale appeared in the form of a woman looking in my Little Free Library. After exchanging pleasantries, I discovered that Gerrie Prymak, a retired early years core area teacher, was the visionary behind Little Stars Playhouse at 681 Selkirk Ave.

A refrain Prymak heard often from the moms and kookums who gathered at North End Stay and Play was that they wished they had a permanent place where their preschool children and caregivers could meet.

Sponsored by Woman Healing for Change, an organization of Indigenous and non-Indigenous women, the dream of a child-centred safe place in the North End became a reality. Even before its grand opening there is a waiting list for quality childcare in a daycare desert. Little Stars is staffed by certified early childhood Educators.

After seven years of fundraising Prymak, credits the Manitoba Metis Federation and its president, David Chartrand, “who got the Playhouse to the finishing line.” 

What began thanks to city councillor Ross Eadie’s advocacy to secure the land for and with volunteer time and labour donated by the carpenters’ union, has resulted in a beautiful building dedicated to early childhood. The original group of moms chose the name Little Stars because it signified optimism for their own little ones.

Leaders who work with Little Stars include Terry Brown of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg and Michael Champagne of Fearless R2W, advocates for children whose lives are impacted by poverty.

“It’s all about relationship and we’re building relationships on behalf of children,” Prymak said. 

Bear Clan Patrol and officers from Winnipeg Police Service staff are invited to read to the children. With a donation of land from Eddy’s Café the families will have the opportunity to learn about growing their own food from microgreens.

Those relationships are also enhanced for Little Stars by volunteer Knowledge Keeper and Métis artist Val Vint, whose internationally acclaimed sculpture, Bison is at The Forks, and who gives art classes and traditional teachings at the centre. A print donated by artist Jackie Traverse captures the beauty of storytelling to children, yet another reminder of the importance of cultural literacy for children.

What started as a conversation about books has come full circle thanks to Woodhaven Men’s Shed, who built a Little Free Library for the community surrounding Little Stars.     

“Little Stars is reconciliation in action,” Prymak said. “The families need to have a say and we have listened as carefully as we could. We’re grassroots and we know that healing starts with the children.”

Heather Emberley is a community correspondent for Crescentwood. Email her at heather.emberley@gmail.com if you have a story suggestion.