Healing Garden Project

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Track our progress for the Healing Garden Project



September 21, 2011

As you can see, the Healing Garden construction is going well. As they begin to add plants and greenery to the area the Healing Garden we can begin to envision what the finished product will be like. Our residents are already getting excited as they watch the progress from the windows, looking forward to the day they can spend some time both working, and relaxing in the Garden. The tentative plan is to have a Grand Opening in the Spring of 2012. Watch for details!




Press Release - May 18, 2011

"Funding is in place to launch the development of the Providence Place Healing Garden."

WHO: Providence Place

WHAT: Through Fundraising by Providence Place, and Major donors such as the Providence Place Foundation, Providence Place Resident Council and Conexus Credit Union, along with the many other local supporters over $425,000 has been raised for the Healing Garden. Our goal remains at $500,000, however, with these funds in place, we are able to begin the construction of the Providence Place Healing Garden.

WHERE: Located on the north end of the existing property of Providence Place along High St.

WHEN: The Construction safety fence was raised on May 9, 2011, with excavating and preliminary work already in progress. Cardinal Construction has been contracted as the project manager.

DETAILS: The vision of Providence Place is to meet the changing needs of our residents and clients. Through our mission, we endeavor to provide hope, healing and an enhanced quality of life to the whole person. Due to a combination of health concerns, and the difficulty involved in transporting residents to an outdoor area, many of our residents are confined to the indoors. Providing a safe outdoor area in a healing environment will stimulate the senses and provide the opportunity for many of our residents to once again enjoy spending some time outdoors with family and friends. Research has shown that time spent in a healing garden releases stress, can invigorate the resident, and provide time for healing and respite.

COMMITTEE: The Fundraising Co-Chairs are Marlene Boyko (Board Member) and Lottie Cossette (resident at Providence Place). Other representation on the committee consists of the CEO, clients, and staff members from Providence Place.

OUR JOURNEY: The journey began in 2007 when both staff and residents saw the need to have the opportunity for residents and families to enjoy the outdoor environment with the least amount of travel and stress. When the sculpture was placed at the corner of Second Avenue and River Street we saw how beneficial park areas could be as we watched many people resting and visiting at this site. We followed up with research into healing gardens and quickly saw the benefits this would bring to our residents and clients. It is very difficult to facilitate outdoor activities for our residents and clients because the majority are unable to travel to local parks due to health concerns or the need for accessibility with wheelchair transportation. We expanded our vision to the seniors’ high-rise buildings around Providence Place and saw that within the community surrounding Providence Place others could benefit from a safe environment in a healing garden atmosphere as well. We engaged a professional landscape architect to help us design the healing garden in order to get the best utilization of the land while at the same time providing a safe, functional environment for our residents and clients. We want to ensure that what we build will be used well into the future. This is a sizable investment and is intended to last for many generations serving the seniors of Moose Jaw.

CONTRIBUTIONS: Contributions can be made in several ways. You can come to Providence Place and leave your donation at the Information Desk; donate on- line by going to www.provplace.ca and follow the links, or you can mail your donation to Providence Place, 100 2nd Avenue NE, Moose Jaw SK S6H 1B8. We accept cash, cheques, MasterCard and VISA. Tax deductible receipts will be issued for all donations. We need to give our residents hope and an enhanced quality of life for their remaining years at Providence Place. How can we do this now and into the future? How do we do this at the lowest cost to our resident, the customer? The answer is to provide an outdoor area and healing environment located close to their home, Providence Place. Catch the vision of the Healing Garden so that our residents and clients, both now and into the future, will see the benefits!



Conexus Donates $25,000 to Providence Place Healing Garden and Park Project

Over the holiday season, Conexus Credit Union gave the Providence Place Foundation $25,000 for the Providence Place Healing Garden and Park Project. A Christmas present large enough to make the entire Providence Place staff and residents smile.

Scott McMann, Vice President - Retail Services at Conexus says, "Conexus is committed to the communities where we live and work. Through the Conexus Community Development Fund, the Board of Directors is proud to help communities by investing in capital or legacy projects. In 2009, our Community Development Fund invested more than $605,000.00 into community-based, charitable and volunteer organizations throughout the province." The Healing Garden and Park Project fundraising campaign, which kicked off on October 16, 2009 with a charity concert, is beginning to pick up momentum in the community of Moose Jaw.

A very grateful, Rick Schindel, CEO of Providence Place said, "This is our first large donation from the business community and one that we feel will help us to get others involved in this worthwhile project. Since we found out about the donation, there has been a buzz amongst the employees, volunteers and residents"

The vision of a healing garden began in June of 2005, following the dedication ceremony of the Tree of Life. This was the beginning of recognizing the need to provide a space for the residents and clients of Providence Place to be able to go outside for sensory stimulation and enjoyment of nature.

The Healing Garden and Park Project still has a way to go with their fundraising efforts, but are very optimistic about the local communities interest and desire to participate so far. To date, they have raised just over $152,000 of the $500,000 needed to construct the park.


The first official Fundraising event for the Healing Garden/Park Project was a huge success!

Its official, Providence Place is going green! Thursday night, local group Manna helped kick off the Providence Place Park Project and Healing Garden with a charity concert at Moose Jaw's Cultural Centre. The park project is a $500,000 fundraising project to build a new park, healing garden and green space on the north side of the Providence Place building in Moose Jaw.

Manna along with guest MC Rob Carnie, put on an elegeant show to a sold out crowd at the Mae Wilson Theatre with all proceeds going to the Park Project. "There has been amazing support by our staff, volunteers, residents, clients and community as we have moved forward with the project" said park committee chair person Dianne Hartell, "This park will not only give our residents a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature and it's healing tendencies, but also the community of Moose Jaw and its surrounding area."

The vision of a new park began in June of 2005, following the dedication ceremony of the Tree of Life. This was the beginning of recognizing the need to provide a space for the residents and clients of Providence Place to be able to go outside and enjoy nature.

After the concert Thursday night, Providence Place resident Lottie Cossette and Ruby Briggs handed out flowers to all the members of Manna. "It means so much to all of the residents to have Manna put on this concert for the healing gardens and to see all the community support in the audience" said Lottie Cossette.

Providence Place announced three major donors Thursday night as they kicked off their campaign with initial donations of $50,000 from the Providence Place Foundation, $44,813.55 from the Resident Council and $6500 from the Providence Place Auxiliary. Their plans are to have the $500,000 raised by spring of 2010 and to begin construction of the park immediately following.

For more information on the project please Contact Us

Photos Courtesy McMaster Studios