The SDRA would like to bring attention to this great project happening in our community. Details are below, as well as the suggested ways in which you can donate.

The Land O’Lakes Garden Club is developing a culturally significant community project. We are planning to build, with design input from our Indigenous neighbours, a traditional Medicine Wheel Garden, in local public space.  We have been deeply touched by stories of the lost children and survivors of the Residential school’s system and have read the Truth and Reconciliation Report and the recommendations contained therein.   Our club wishes to develop the garden as a step forward in building better historical understanding, relationships, and friendships within our communities.

Investigating the creation and development of this project, we came across some wise words by an Indigenous man, who was also involved in building such a public space.

“This is only a little garden, but it hopefully opens  a lot of opportunities to be in relationship, to have nation-to-nation relationship, to be in conversation about what it means to be stewards of the land.”    (Joce Two Crows Tremblay is an earth worker with the Indigenous Land Stewardship Circle in Toronto.)

The garden will be in Cloyne, at Benny Lake Heritage Park between the Barrie Township Hall and the Cloyne & District Historical Society Museum. The most prominent feature, centrally located in the park, is a Medicine Wheel with plants important and native to Indigenous culture. We hope to also include a butterfly garden for the children, a contemplative area with log seating and provide a peaceful view of the pond. We are inviting as many participants as possible to help with the basic structure, including the members of our club, local businesses, and tradespeople and importantly the NAEC.

This is not a small project. We have designated $5K which is 65% of our club’s total annual funds this year. We have requested funding from both North Frontenac and Addington Highlands Townships who are aware and supportive of the project and applied for additional grants to fund the project. Receipt of grant money is always tenuous, and we do have a preference that this project be developed with community funds, raised locally. The children of NAEC will be involved in several ways as the project evolves. This means that NAEC will be able to build the Kiosks designated for informational and educational signage, and some irrigation will be installed to help enhance growth.

We require materials such as water pumps, shingles, lumber, soil and much more than mere labour. All these items cost money, as you know. You may recognize us as the group that plant the community flower boxes, plant and maintain the Pine Meadow Nursing Home gardens, and who maintain the gardens at the Township Halls and the Pioneer Cloyne Cemetery on Little Pond Rd. We consider this new project to be seminal to our club and to our community.

If you find it possible to donate to this worthy cause it will be deeply appreciated. We have roughly 15,000 visitors and more visiting this area in the two prime summer months. With our planned Tourist Orientation Directional Signs that we must purchase, we think that many of those visitors will stop by and learn something they may want to take back to their own communities.  Most important is the fact that our Indigenous community embrace the nature of the healing plants we hope will flourish and find this a place for quiet reflection and thought. 

Cheques can be made out to Land O’ Lakes Horticultural Society and sent to: Sue Barchard, (Treasurer), 1084 Maple Lane, Arden, ON K0H 1B0 Or e-transferred to: barchardsusan@gmail.com

In summary, your donation will be wisely spent on a significant project within our community. We ask for your consideration and support.

Land O’Lakes Garden Club Special Project Committee