The University of Manitoba (UM) is cultivating a unique haven for mental health and wellbeing on the Fort Garry Campus – The Garden for Wellbeing. This inclusive landscape, situated between the Red River and Freedman Crescent, is designed to offer a sanctuary for self-reflection, contemplation, and connection with the land. Open to both the UM community and the public, the garden aims to nurture community mental health.
Rebecca Brooks, a member of the Garden for Wellbeing project team, expresses the significance of this initiative, stating, “This project is a chance for the university community to engage with a space on campus that deliberately invites them to look inward and outward at the same time.” The garden will feature areas dedicated to calm and contemplation, as well as spaces that encourage critical reflection on our relationship with the land.
The project places a strong emphasis on Indigenous planning and design principles, celebrating Indigenous aesthetics and incorporating guidance from the Indigenous Stewardship Committee. Nicki Ferland, a committee member and Community Engaged Learning coordinator, Indigenous, notes that the garden will provide a quiet space for reflection, introspection, and learning, while also reintroducing natural features to the site near the south bank of the Red River.
Community consultation and involvement stand as cornerstones of the project. Architectural firm ft3, in collaboration with Indigenous environmental consultants Narratives, is developing two design proposals. Community members are invited to participate in consultation sessions on March 18 and 19 at UMSU University Centre, where they can view renderings of the designs and contribute to the development of The Garden for Wellbeing.
The project, funded by a 2019 UM Success Through Wellness Grant, is a collaborative effort led by the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, Office of Sustainability, Strategic Communications, and Architectural & Engineering Services, in close partnership with the Indigenous Stewardship Committee. Brooks emphasizes the evolution of the project, which initially drew inspiration from a Eurocentric labyrinth but has transformed to better reflect the UM community through the guidance of Indigenous colleagues.
“The Garden provides an opportunity to highlight other major Indigenous projects on campus, including Raven Medicine Cloud and Cyclical Motion: Indigenous Art and Placemaking,” adds Ferland. The design, rooted in initial stakeholder consultations, incorporates the image of a bison and integrates with campus and neighborhood walking and cycling paths. Additionally, native plants with low maintenance requirements are included to encourage community participation in the garden’s care.
Brooks envisions The Garden for Wellbeing as a serene pause in busy days, allowing individuals to be present and explore a different sense of time. The project contributes not only to the mental health of the UM community but also serves as a meaningful connection to Indigenous past, present, and future on the Fort Garry Campus.
