Official Groundbreaking Ceremony for the New Blood Tribe Administration Building

By Henry Heavyshield, Blood Tribe Communications Officer

Standoff, AB ­­–– On the afternoon of Friday May 9, 2025, the Blood Tribe celebrated a significant milestone with the groundbreaking ceremony for its new administration building. The event marked a pivotal step in the Nation’s ongoing efforts to enhance infrastructure and better serve its members.

Blood Tribe elders, Chief and Council, members from Kainai Chieftainship, Blood Tribe Administration department directors, and representatives from the architectural, design, and construction firms were in attendance.

Prayers were provided by Wilton Good Striker, Agnes First Charger, and council member Patrick Black Plume. Julius Delaney’s drum group also sang honour and flag songs in commemoration of the event.

This initiative is in line with the Blood Tribe’s broader strategy in developing its capital projects aimed at addressing the community’s needs. In recent years, the Nation has undertaken several projects with the goal of improving the well-being of community members, including the Twin Rinks, Peacekeeping Center, Levern elementary school, community hall, and the new Blood Tribe Police Services building.

“There’s a lot of capital projects coming down the road, and we’re going to take them to the finish line,” said Chief Travis Plaited Hair.

He went on to thank past and present Chief and Council members, management, staff, and community members whose leadership and guidance helped bring these projects into fruition.

“I never dreamt in a million years that I’d be standing here in front of the community as Chief, and see all of this development since those early years growing up. The Tribe has come a long way. I pay homage to all those previous leaders who had the vision, the insight, to declare this as their community area,” said Chief Plaited Hair.

He added “It’s really good to work with good people to make these projects a reality.”

After the groundbreaking, the group was invited to share a meal in the recently built ceremonial building next door. Speakers took turns sharing stories and praising the contributions of all who made the new building possible.

Chief Plaited Hair emphasized the importance of the new administration building not only as a place of governance and public service, but also as place where we can come together to visit and most importantly learn from our elders. He shared a story about how the site of the building was originally a natural spring and community watering trough when he was younger.

“It was just like ‘Etoyopi’ used to be. Everybody would come and they would visit. If it was a nice day out they’d sit outside, feed people, and they’d just visit,” shared Chief Plaited Hair. He noted the importance of this spirit of togetherness and connection that will live on in the new building.

The building’s design, moreover, will incorporate elements that will reflect the Blood Tribe’s traditions and values. Input from BTA directors and staff was also incorporated in the design process.

Located north of Family and Children Social Services, the new BTA building will feature modern amenities and facilities tailored to the needs of the resident departments that will help them better serve the Tribe.

Councillor Dorothy First Rider explained that construction for the new administration was funded through the Kainai Mismanagement of Assets claim.

“Every time we reach a successful agreement on our land claims, we always ensure we prioritize the needs of the community,” said First Rider.

“I’d like to thank all of you, the elders, the community, and all of our staff for supporting the land claims negotiations that we undertake,” she added.

The new administration building is expected to be completed in 2027, with construction managed by local and outside partner contractors to ensure community involvement and local economic benefits.

Nadine Tail Feathers, Senior Operations Officer for Public and Economic Services, stressed the importance of working closely with our elders during this project’s development.

“It’s important to have [the elders’] input. It’s important to have them as our advisors, and it’s important to keep that connection between elders, staff working and the younger people,” she said.

“We’re listening and we’re learning through these processes, and it’s all in the name of positivity and success,” Tail Feathers added.