In the north shore town of Espanola, residents of the Espanola Nursing Home are enjoying their brand new Therapeutic Garden this week.
The Therapeutic Garden came from the seed of an idea that came to Nursing Home Director of Care Paula Mitroff. All along, she thought the outdoor feature should be located at the Espanola Regional Hospital and Health Centre for the use of residents and visitors alike.
Foundation coordinator Terri Noble said the idea stuck and was brought forward to the health organization's Board of Directors. That resulted in the creation of the therapeutic garden fundraising campaign.
There was no government money available for this type of project so all the funding had to come from the community.
"A project of this size had to be completed in stages, as money was raised. And it was worth the wait," foundation chair Michael Dunn said.
The local radio station in Espanola, Moose 99.3 FM, took on the project as part of its $1 million annual charity drive held in December. The drive was spearheaded by morning personality Rosalind Russell.
The garden project began in 2017 and it took two years for the community to raise the $175,000 needed from many contributors in the Espanola area.
Landscape architect Jennifer Harvey designed the garden, which was created to be a boon to.many of the residents, especially those suffering from dementia, mobility issues and visual impairments.
Retired building contractor Rick Leclair volunteered to oversee and manage the development of the garden. Plants, shrubs and other amenities were all installed just over a week ago.
“The garden could not have opened at a better time, with all the restrictions of COVID-19, the residents can now enjoy the fresh outdoor air in a beautiful, sensory and safe space,” said Dunn.
Noble added, “The response from the community, businesses and service clubs has been overwhelming and it could not have come to fruition without the help of everyone involved. We couldn’t be more grateful.”
There will be a virtual grand opening, likely later this month. Still to come, signage to recognize the various supporters, volunteers and donors of the Espanola Therapeutic Garden project.