CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C – The outdoor garden at The North Island Hospital has been filled with plants traditionally used by the Laichwiltach peoples.
The garden is located in the space where the former Campbell River and District General Hospital building once stood.
Members of the North Island Hospital Project’s Aboriginal Working Group, Sasamans Society, Laichwiltach Family Life Society, and the First Nations Health Authority, came together to fill the garden with plants.
Some elders and youth from local first nation groups also attended to plant Oregon grape, Labrador tea, red elderberry, licorice fern, thimbleberry, salmonberries, salal and pacific silverweed in the garden.
Member of the VIHA project planning committee Danielle Assu says the garden will have plants that are important to First Nations peoples.
“Vancouver Island Health Authority and the Campbell River Hospital wanted to work together with community elders to create a garden that reflects traditional First Nations use and healing.”
She added that the garden was created not only to highlight plants used in Indigenous culture but also to educate those on why they are important.
“In the future, we had talked about maybe doing a walking tour for people who are interested in learning about the plants about how they helped people feel healthy.”
The North Island Hospital in the Comox Valley also features a traditional plant garden, which was created in 2017.
