Bringing Our Children Home
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Search
From June 2022 to May 2023, Winahwinikewin Project (WP) team performed a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey during winter and summer months to map and identify areas of interest located by the former St. Joseph’s Residential School in Cross lake MB.
The WP team consisted of
- Cross Lake team members: Sandy Robinson, Kirk McLeod, Kendall Robinson and Orlin Cook;
- Axiom Exploration Group Ltd.
- Groundradar Inc.
- DAL Projects
GPR data collection – Mission Point
GPR data collection in winter
Overall map of areas surveyed
Using two separate radar frequencies (200 MHz and 600 MHz) set to a maximum depth of 2.0 m, the WP team decided to focus our summary findings on anomalies identified between the area size of 1.2 m2 (± 0.2 m); and 80-200 cm deep as that was deemed the most likely depth at which potentially clandestine burials of students would have been located.
The table below highlights our findings at each of the survey sites.
Using two separate radar frequencies (200 MHz and 600 MHz) set to a maximum depth of 2.0 m, the WP team decided to focus our summary findings on anomalies identified between the area size of 1.2 m2 (± 0.2 m); and 80-200 cm deep as that was deemed the most likely depth at which potentially clandestine burials of students would have been located.
The table below highlights our findings at each of the survey sites.
| Survey site | No. | Total anomalies | Filtered anomalies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cemetery | 1 | 142 | 59 |
| 2 | 107 | 2 | |
| 3 | 282 | 5 | |
| 4 | 176 | 0 | |
| 5 | 908 | 17 | |
| 6 | 71 | 0 | |
| 7 | 42 | 0 | |
| 8 | 408 | 0 | |
| Airport | 1 | 184 | 23 |
| 2 | 69 | 5 | |
| 3 | 47 | 0 | |
| 4 | 119 | 14 | |
| 5 | 73 | 2 | |
| 6 | 40 | 0 | |
| Airport Road | 1 | 837 | 0 |
| 2 | 186 | 23 | |
| 3 | 339 | 0 | |
| Sweeny’s Garden | — | 36 | 8 |
| Sandy Bay | — | 2,153 | 13 |
| Whiskey Jack | — | 631 | 16 |
| TOTAL | — | 187 |
It is imperative to note the following:
- Ground penetrating radar is unable to detect human remains per se. Instead, it can highlight areas of ground disturbances in the natural soil profile.
- Anomalies do not equate to the discovery of human remains. However, they are points of interest that warrant further investigation
Without additional forensic investigation or the excavation of the ground, it is impossible to conclusively say that any identified anomaly signals the presence of a human remain. However, it does provide a starting point for areas that Cross Lake can begin their search for answers that will provide closure.
The findings of 187 anomalies were shared with Cross Lake leadership. On July 3, 2024, Cross Lake Chief David Monias revealed the findings to APTN. The link to the article can be found here, and Chief David Monias’ interview can be found below.
For more in-depth information regarding Cross Lake’s GPR methodology and findings associated with this project, please refer to the full report.
Bringing Our Children Home
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Search
From June 2022 to May 2023, Winahwinikewin Project (WP) team performed a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey during winter and summer months to map and identify areas of interest located by the former St. Joseph’s Residential School in Cross lake MB.
The WP team consisted of
- Cross Lake team members: Sandy Robinson, Kirk McLeod, Kendall Robinson and Orlin Cook;
- Axiom Exploration Group Ltd.
- Groundradar Inc.
- DAL Projects
Using two separate radar frequencies (200 MHz and 600 MHz) set to a maximum depth of 2.0 m, the WP team decided to focus our summary findings on anomalies identified between the area size of 1.2 m2 (± 0.2 m); and 80-200 cm deep as that was deemed the most likely depth at which potentially clandestine burials of students would have been located.
The table below highlights our findings at each of the survey sites.
Using two separate radar frequencies (200 MHz and 600 MHz) set to a maximum depth of 2.0 m, the WP team decided to focus our summary findings on anomalies identified between the area size of 1.2 m2 (± 0.2 m); and 80-200 cm deep as that was deemed the most likely depth at which potentially clandestine burials of students would have been located.
The table below highlights our findings at each of the survey sites.
| Survey site | No. | Total anomalies | Filtered anomalies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cemetery | 1 | 142 | 59 |
| 2 | 107 | 2 | |
| 3 | 282 | 5 | |
| 4 | 176 | 0 | |
| 5 | 908 | 17 | |
| 6 | 71 | 0 | |
| 7 | 42 | 0 | |
| 8 | 408 | 0 | |
| Airport | 1 | 184 | 23 |
| 2 | 69 | 5 | |
| 3 | 47 | 0 | |
| 4 | 119 | 14 | |
| 5 | 73 | 2 | |
| 6 | 40 | 0 | |
| Airport Road | 1 | 837 | 0 |
| 2 | 186 | 23 | |
| 3 | 339 | 0 | |
| Sweeny’s Garden | — | 36 | 8 |
| Sandy Bay | — | 2,153 | 13 |
| Whiskey Jack | — | 631 | 16 |
| TOTAL | — | 187 |
It is imperative to note the following:
- Ground penetrating radar is unable to detect human remains per se. Instead, it can highlight areas of ground disturbances in the natural soil profile.
- Anomalies do not equate to the discovery of human remains. However, they are points of interest that warrant further investigation
Without additional forensic investigation or the excavation of the ground, it is impossible to conclusively say that any identified anomaly signals the presence of a human remain. However, it does provide a starting point for areas that Cross Lake can begin their search for answers that will provide closure.
The findings of 187 anomalies were shared with Cross Lake leadership. On July 3, 2024, Cross Lake Chief David Monias revealed the findings to APTN. The link to the article can be found here, and Chief David Monias’ interview can be found below.
For more in-depth information regarding Cross Lake’s GPR methodology and findings associated with this project, please refer to the full report.