Wes Petterson Jr., surrounded by family members, cuts the ribbon to officially open Wes Petterson Memorial Park in Weldon on Saturday. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Honouring a neighbour

‘He’s smiling down at us’: Wes Petterson Memorial Park opens in Weldon with special ceremony

Sep 22, 2024 | 8:00 AM

The Family members, friends, and supporters gathered in the small village of Weldon Saturday to witness the opening of Wes Petterson Memorial Park.

Hundreds of people packed near the park’s entrance including many local dignitaries from the area and the province looking to share their message of support to the community.

Through a sign language interpreter, Petterson’s son, Wes Petterson Jr., said that his father would be proud of what the community has done in his honour.

“He would be so glad that the kids have a safe place to play, and I know that my father will be watching over them and watching them play in the park.”

Petterson was one of 11 people killed during a mass stabbing rampage two years ago. He was the only victim from Weldon, while the other ten were from nearby James Smith Cree Nation.

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Wes Petterson was 78 when he was fatally stabbed in September 2022. (Submitted photo/RCMP)

Seeing the amount of people there to support the family and park opening, Weldon Playground Project co-director Chelsey Erickson said it was shocking.

“Considering the population has doubled, probably tripled, it’s overwhelming to see the amount of support still to this day.”

Fellow Project co-director Jamie Petrie reiterated that, adding the park opening wasn’t the only thing happening in the town as they planned a whole community celebration including a pancake breakfast, car show, BBQ, and family dance, along with a fireworks display at dusk.

“It’s amazing to see so many people, we didn’t know if anyone was going to show up.”

“By 9:30 [a.m.], there were cars coming up to the Show and Shine, and then we saw people lining up for the pancake breakfast and it was… just beyond.”

Supporters and donors to the project each received a framed picture of the completed playground featuring children from the community and seniors from the next-door care home. Shown in this photo is Weldon Mayor Ron Clayton receiving his framed picture from Weldon Playground Project co-director Chelsey Erickson. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

Astonishingly, it only took around seven months for the park to be completed from the time the idea was first brought forward. Having no money, land, or idea where to start, donations and volunteers quickly came ahead.

The park was built entirely from donations by local businesses and community members, which was highlighted by a $116,000 donation by James Smith Cree Nation in April. The land the park sits on was donated by the next-door Weldon Country Villa care home.

Since a vote had to be held to acquire the land from the home, Erickson said it was a unanimous decision.

“We attended their AGM in the spring and we told them what we wanted to do, and there wasn’t a hand that didn’t go up.”

“Nobody once asked us for money for it, they just all said ‘Nope, you do you’. The only thing they asked is how much land we were looking for,” echoed Petrie.

The park features a main play set with multiple slides and a climbing net, along with monkey bars, a teeter-totter, jungle gym, and merry-go-round. The park also has two soccer goals with built-in football uprights, a handful of benches, and numerous flower boxes.

(Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

Additionally, six flag poles were erected next to the park that now wave the flags of Canada, Saskatchewan, Metis Nation, and James Smith Cree Nation, while the flags of the Peter Chapman Band and Chakastaypasin Band will be raised at a later date. The flags were raised to thank those who donated and helped make the park a reality.

“It’s so heartwarming to see, they’ve done such a great job,” said Petterson Jr. on the completed park.

(Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com