Officers’ Square, located in the heart of downtown Fredericton, forms part of the Fredericton Military Compound National Historic Site of Canada and has played an important role in the capital city’s ever-changing landscape. Most widely known for its military use from the late 18th century up through the late 19th century, the Square has many stories to tell. In recent years, this public space has been part of the City of Fredericton’s revitalization project. As a result, a great deal of archaeological investigation within Officers’ Square has taken place. This presentation will provide an overview of the archaeological work that occurred in the Square during Colbr Consulting’s 2022 field season, focusing on the mitigation of a double refuse midden feature. The aim of this discussion is to shed light on what archaeologists found and how identified artifacts can help us better understand past lifeways within the Square and the larger Fredericton Military Compound National Historic Site in downtown Fredericton, New Brunswick.

As part of the Centre Block Rehabilitation Project, the largest heritage rehabilitation project in Canadian history, archaeological assessments were conducted to evaluate and preserve important archaeological resources to be impacted by the project. The setting of Canada’s Parliament Hill created unique challenges. Concerns such as Parliament’s ongoing functions, emergency services access, critical infrastructure and construction schedules needed to be counterbalanced by requirements to evaluate and record resources which were buried under up to 3m of fill. This paper will outline the steps taken to manage the project and complete the archaeological assessments in a staged approach which allowed for the complex site requirements to be met while also uncovering and excavating extensive archaeological resources. A broad overview of the findings will also be interwoven with the presentation to provide context to the challenges encountered and overcome during the project.

Over the past year and a half, the primary author has worked on a Fed-Nor funded archaeological internship in a partnership between the City of Thunder Bay, Fort William First Nation, and Lakehead University. The project's purpose is to examine the archaeological sites within the City of Thunder Bay, which involved updating the archaeological inventory and confirming the accuracy of reported site locations within the Ministry heritage inventory. To accomplish this, access to high-quality geospatial data, including a LiDAR elevation model was provided by the city. The examination of data relative to known archaeological site distribution revealed relict riparian features such as stranded beach ridges, terraces, and wave-cut cliffs, some of which were previously undetected. While the relationship of Plano archaeological sites with one well-documented phase of Glacial Lake Minong is well-established, the sharply improved elevation model, coupled with other thematic information, significantly improved our understanding of the complex and dynamic shoreline transformation. It has also offered new insight into the distribution of known archaeological sites.  

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action have provided all levels of government with a starting point for local reconciliation journeys. The City of Kamloops and our partner community Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc have been engaged in relationship building since the 1960s and the ways in which we have engaged with this journey have evolved over time. Our relationship is based on respect, mutual support, and mutual interest.

Our journey with the Calls to Action has propelled us forward together in many ways, including the stewardship of cultural heritage. This presentation will discuss our journey with Call to Action 44 as it pertains to the stewardship of cultural heritage in the Secwepemcúlecw (the ancestral lands of the Secwépemc), including Indigenous-led work, innovation in methods, and collaborative solutions to challenges.