KVN residents, board members, staff gather for a ground-breaking event on Tuesday, June 18. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

new garden

Therapeutic garden to lift spirits at Kiwanis Village Nanaimo

Jun 20, 2024 | 6:15 AM

NANAIMO — An emerging garden with a deeper meaning is taking shape to bring the Kiwanis Village Nanaimo (KVN) community closer together.

Landscape crews and residents came together at KVN on Nelson St. this week to mark the start of constructing a therapeutic garden on the property’s southwestern edge.

Planting various trees, shrubs, flowers, pedestrian paths, a patio, sitting areas and other features is all about creating a peaceful, resident-focused gathering area, said KVN executive director Lori Walker.

“It will be a therapeutic space with water features and lots of benches and nature. We’re going to do some programs out here,” an excited Walker told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Board of directors enthusiastically approved the sanctuary this past fall, which had been discussed for a few years, Walker noted.

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A 3,000 sq/ft chunk of grass will soon be transformed into a dynamic therapeutic garden at Kiwanis Village Nanaimo. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Expected to be completed in about a month, the therapeutic garden is the vision of KVN registered horticulture therapist Bianca van der Stoel.

She said the garden is designed so residents can engage more with the space.

An accessible forest walk and sensory path will draw residents in, van der Stoel said, while a patio in the centre of the garden for social and recreational programming will also be installed.

“One of the main components is that it will have a lot of sensory invitations for our residents, and that kind of naturally invites them to engage with the space more than they would otherwise.”

She said residents are excited for a higher-value space to enjoy nature and gardening activities.

“My hope is for a lot of the folks here who may be isolated, or lonely or under-stimulated that this space will just naturally draw them into that therapeutic value of nature.”

KVN resident Verelyn Murphy said while they have ample indoor programming to remain occupied, nothing replaces the feeling of interacting with nature in a meaningful way.

Involved with several gardening projects on the grounds of KVN for a few years, Murphy said the property once had much less green features just a few years ago.

“I didn’t realize just how important gardening was to seniors, but now I do because I see it and the appreciation from the people is just enormous,” Murphy said

She enjoys the various gardening features on the KVN property, taking full advantage during her daily stroll after dinner.

She’s convinced the pending therapeutic garden will lead to physical and mental health benefits for KVN residents.

“Nature is such a wonderful thing if you get out and enjoy it and that’s what we need to do and this is what the garden will help people do because it’ll get them outside and admiring little things,” Murphy said.

Fellow resident Steve Simonovich, who has his own personal garden, said the pending therapeutic gathering space will undoubtedly be a key outdoor focal point.

“It’s going to be nice, everyone’s excited about it,” Simonovich said.

Conceptual plan by contractor North Arrow Landscapes crews to establish the KVN therapeutic garden. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes