On August 17, a putting green was installed at the Memory Garden at the Heritage Life Personal Care Home in Niverville as organizers work hard to complete the garden by fall.
The garden is located in the courtyard of the PCH and will feature a putting green, gazebo, water feature, shaded gathering areas, and many beautiful plantings including perennial bushes, topiaries, and flowers intended to attract butterflies. The area will enrich seniors’ healthy living with fun activities like the putting green, musical instruments, and art.
“The garden will provide a social, restful, and/or active space and improve the quality of life for our seniors,” says Shirley Hoult, representative for the local chapter of Communities in Bloom.
One key feature will be the ability-friendly circular paved walkway, which will allow residents of all mobility levels to access as much of the garden as possible. The area is secured with fencing to keep residents safe, but allow for an open and breezy feel to facilitate enjoyment of the outdoors.
“We wanted to encourage residents to wander in that green space whenever they want to, and be safe, and to enjoy the various activities we are placing in there,” says Hoult.
Work on the garden officially began on July 9, but the organizing committee had been at the planning stage for quite a while. The idea to include an interactive element such as the putting green was met with enthusiasm.
Residents of the personal care home, their families, and any visitors will be invited to enjoy the gardens and the putting green.
“We will be providing putters, but it’s not a golf course. There will be one or two holes, or maybe three at the most, that they can put into,” says Hoult. “There will also be areas where some activities can be held and we’re also placing some musical instruments throughout. So they can wander through and just play. And the pathways wind around so they can wander away, and then come back through again and play again.”
The organizers behind the project include Niverville Communities in Bloom, as well as Bonnie Friesen and Annette Fast. Contractors Creative Escapes Landscaping estimate they will have the garden finished by the end of September 2022.
Some aspects of the garden have been delayed due to weather as well as ongoing supply issues with construction materials, including cement.
“There’s been some delay with the wet weather, of course, and also with the concrete,” says Hoult. “The concrete was originally supposed to go in in May and then it was delayed to July. Now it is supposed to start next Monday.”
Funding for the project is made possible through private local donations, government funding, and the Thomas Sill Foundation.
“And in September, the Niverville Tim’s location has chosen the garden project to receive the funds from their Smile Cookie campaign, so we are going to be selling Smile Cookies,” says Hoult. “We’re hoping to sell 20,000 of them in town and $20,000 dollars will then go to finish the project up.”
The Smile Cookie program allows a participating Tim Hortons restaurant to sell Smile Cookies and contribute 100 percent of the proceeds toward a community group of their choice. Smile Cookies will be available from September 19–25.
Other summer projects that Communities in Bloom has completed this year include additional native plantings at the butterfly garden in Hespeler Park, 58 trees planted, and a heritage sign telling the story of the old school bell at the Niverville Elementary School.
In fall, the group will also be working with the Town of Niverville to offer suggestions on beautification at Claremont Park.
