Homewood Health Centre Labyrinth
Guelph, Ontario, Canada

All labyrinths are a journey and the creation of this one was no exception. In 1999, Homewood chaplain RaeAnn Thorsteinson initiated a therapeutic program which involved the creation of a portable canvas labyrinth. She encouraged patients and staff to walk the labyrinth and it became an integral component of several of Homewood's treatment programs. Thorsteinson always dreamed of having a permanent exterior labyrinth on the beautiful Homewood grounds, and this summer, her dream came true. After RaeAnn contacted Virginia Burt to create a report on different labyrinth types. Visionscapes Landscape Architects Inc. was hired to design an 11-circiut labyrinth based on the Chartres pattern. This labyrinth is the first in Canada to be located in a psychiatric hospital setting!

This 52-foot labyrinth is made of over 3,800 Mother of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) plants which mark and outline the limestone screening pathways. The centre of the labyrinth is an 11'9" diameter. The labyrinth features an omphalos stone serves as a destination, seating stone, and ceremonial altar.

The installation of Homewood's labyrinth has been possible through the collaboration of the Homewood Foundation, the Homewood Volunteer Association, funded by gifts of patients and former patients, and supported by donations from the Homewood Health Centre. Dufferin Aggregates, Fitzgerald and Roderick Landscape Contractors, and Visionscapes Landscape Architects Inc.

Special thanks go to Mitchell Hewson, of Horticultural Therapy at the Homewood Health Centre, and Kathryn Elton, Executive Director of the Homewood Foundation, whose support and involvement made this project possible. Steve Gilmour, and many others from Homewood contributed to its success. Fitzgerald and Roderick Landscape Contractors built the project with great speed and efficiency. Thank you to the crews for creating and planting a pattern with plants unlike any they have experienced!

The Homewood Labyrinth Project was featured in local news articles;
In the Guelph Mercury:
"Labyrinth to aid patients on the road to recovery"
By Joanne Shuttleworth
& In the Guelph Tribune
"Labyrinth a new healing path"
Tuesday, July 23, 2002