Healing garden a work of heart
Space for elders earned top prize in local beautification contest
Jean Storr, back left, Sgt. Grant Thom, Mary Rinas, Shirley Andreason, Elijah Allen, Karin Lange, Arlene Jorgensen, Chris Balla and Staff Sgt. Dustin Ward (front left) and Merle Carpenter are pictured at the Inuvik Regional Hospital's healing garden on Aug. 23. RCMP were recognized for donating $7,000 to the project, which earned first prize in the Town of Inuvik's community beautification contest this year. - photo courtesy of Inuvik Regional Hospital
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Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Thursday, September 21, 2017
INUVIK
The love and care that went into the creation of an elders' healing garden at the Inuvik Regional Hospital is receiving some recognition.
The garden recently earned first place in the Town of Inuvik's 2017 community beautification contest, which came with a $500 prize.
"I was thrilled," said Arlene Jorgensen, Inuvik Regional Hospital's chief operating officer. "I stop there frequently over the summer just to spend a minute or two in the green space."
The idea for the healing garden sprouted to life after the hospital's manager of operations, Chris Balla, noticed a number of elders were growing vegetables and plants inside the building.
"So he came to me with an idea," said Jorgensen.
He'd noticed there was some space between the long-term care facility and hospital entrance that had never really been developed.
Meanwhile, said Jorgensen, the RCMP had donated $7,000 to the hospital for a healing garden.
"And I said, 'Chris, if you can make that space better, do it,'" she said. "So it really all came together between Chris' idea, the elders taking some initiative . and the contribution from the RCMP."
This spring, staff began building planters, benches and bringing in dirt for the garden.
RCMP also provided a plaque.
Now the elders have taken things over and maintain the space, where Jorgensen said they have even hosted events.
On Aug. 23, they invited the RCMP for a cookout and fire to thank them for their contribution, she said. Elders from Aklavik also came by boat for the event.
"It was really lovely," said Jorgensen.
Though a tent and some other landscaping were set up at the hospital a few years ago, this is the first year the healing garden has been available.
Lise Saumur, director of community services at the Town of Inuvik, said the beautification contest is a way to encourage residents and businesses to boost the look of their spaces during the summer.
Contestants are evaluated for creativity and environmental sensitivity.
"It was really creative and it was different," said Saumur of why the hospital earned this year's top award.
The garden has "totally transformed" that area at the hospital, she added.
"It just really felt like a lot of the hard work and the vision and the really good energy that had gone into there was acknowledged," said Jorgensen.
