Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation

Haliburton Highlands Tranquility Trail

Being a hospital patient means suffering physical stress; it can also be a time of great spiritual and emotional challenge.  Donna Sutherland, a Haliburton resident, was a visionary.  She dreamed of creating a retreat-like space in Haliburton Village that would be conducive to reflection and self-healing, and accessible not only to hospital patients and residents living in the long-term care facility, but to their families, their care givers, hospital staff members, and all community members.

In October 2001, in the week before her death, Donna asked HHHSF to share her dream.  Friends and community members rallied to support what has become the Haliburton Highlands Tranquility Trail, a labyrinth healing park. Now others are sharing this vision of a peaceful place welcoming everyone, and are contributing time and funds to bring this project into being.

The Haliburton Highlands Tranquility Trail is a long term project in the early stages of development.  Presently the labyrinth and a pathway around the long term are area are built.  In the continuing months the labyrinth will be planted, 2 benches will be dedicated, a rock bench will be completed on the pathway, a pathway leading to the marshland will be built and a timber frame gazebo for viewing will be built and installed. The complete landscape plans, designed by Dan Loukras of the Outdoor Design Company include accessible gliding swing chair, sculptures, tribute gardens, additional pathways and gardens, boardwalk overlooking Grass Lake, benches and a poet’s walk.

The HHHS is pleased to provide the lands located at the Haliburton Health Care Facility to this worthy project.  We hope it will benefit the community, the staff and the professional, the residents, the patients, the visitors and friends and family.

We sincerely thank all our community friends for their support of the dream and making it a reality.  Special thanks to the Haliburton County Development Corporation – Arts Committee, Dan Loukras of The Outdoor Design Company, Glenn Diezel of Diezel Woodworks, Sir Sandford Fleming College and Haliburton Highlands Trails and Tours Network.

For the Directory of Ontario Labyrinths, please visit:

http://www.web.net/~labyrint/direct1.html